Optical detector and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

An optical detector ( 110 ) is disclosed. The optical detector ( 110 ) comprises:
         an optical sensor ( 112 ), having a substrate ( 116 ) and at least one photosensitive layer setup ( 118 ) disposed thereon, the photosensitive layer setup ( 118 ) having at least one first electrode ( 120 ), at least one second electrode ( 130 ) and at least one photovoltaic material ( 140 ) sandwiched in between the first electrode ( 120 ) and the second electrode ( 130 ), wherein the photovoltaic material ( 140 ) comprises at least one organic material, wherein the first electrode ( 120 ) comprises a plurality of first electrode stripes ( 124 ) and wherein the second electrode ( 130 ) comprises a plurality of second electrode stripes ( 134 ), wherein the first electrode stripes ( 124 ) and the second electrode stripes ( 134 ) intersect such that a matrix ( 142 ) of pixels ( 144 ) is formed at intersections of the first electrode stripes ( 124 ) and the second electrode stripes ( 134 ); and   at least one readout device ( 114 ), the readout device ( 114 ) comprising a plurality of electrical measurement devices ( 154 ) being connected to the second electrode stripes ( 134 ) and a switching device ( 160 ) for subsequently connecting the first electrode stripes ( 124 ) to the electrical measurement devices ( 154 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on previous European patent applicationnumber 13171898.3, the full content of which is herewith included byreference. The invention relates to an optical detector, a detectorsystem, a human-machine interface, an entertainment device, a trackingsystem, a camera, a method for manufacturing an optical detector, amethod of taking at least one image of an object and to various uses ofthe optical detector according to the present invention. The devices andmethods according to the present invention are mainly used in the fieldof imaging and camera technology, such as for detecting at least oneobject and/or for taking an image of at least one object. Thus, theoptical detector according to the present invention specifically may beused in the field of photography and/or for purposes ofhuman-machine-interfaces or gaming. Other applications, however, arefeasible.

PRIOR ART

A large number of optical sensors and photovoltaic devices are knownfrom the prior art. While photovoltaic devices are generally used toconvert electromagnetic radiation, for example, ultraviolet, visible orinfrared light, into electrical signals or electrical energy, opticaldetectors are generally used for picking up image information and/or fordetecting at least one optical parameter, for example, a brightness.

It is generally known that optical sensors may be based on the use ofinorganic and/or organic sensor materials. Examples of such sensors aredisclosed in US 2007/0176165 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,995,445 B2, DE 2501124A1, DE 3225372 A1 or else in numerous other prior art documents. To anincreasing extent, in particular for cost reasons and for reasons oflarge-area processing, sensors comprising at least one organic sensormaterial are being used, as described for example in US 2007/0176165 A1.In particular, so-called dye solar cells are increasingly of importancehere, which are described generally, for example in WO 2009/013282 A1.

A plurality of detectors for detecting at least one object are known,which are based on such optical sensors. Such detectors can be embodiedin various ways, depending on the respective purpose of use. Examples ofsuch detectors are imaging devices, for example, cameras and/ormicroscopes. High-resolution confocal microscopes are known, forexample, which can be used in particular in the field of medicaltechnology and biology in order to examine biological samples with highoptical resolution. Further examples of detectors for opticallydetecting at least one object are distance measuring devices based, forexample, on propagation time methods of corresponding optical signals,for example laser pulses. Further examples of detectors for opticallydetecting objects are triangulation systems, by means of which distancemeasurements can likewise be carried out.

In US 20070080925 A1, a low power consumption display device isdisclosed. Therein, photoactive layers are utilized that both respond toelectrical energy to allow a display device to display information andthat generate electrical energy in response to incident radiation.Display pixels of a single display device may be divided into displayingand generating pixels. The displaying pixels may display information andthe generating pixels may generate electrical energy. The generatedelectrical energy may be used to provide power to drive an image. Atechnically complex driving electronics of the generating pixels and thedisplaying pixels is required.

In EP 1 667 246 A1, a sensor element capable of sensing more than onespectral band of electromagnetic radiation with the same spatiallocation is disclosed. The element consists of a stack of sub-elementseach capable of sensing different spectral bands of electromagneticradiation. The sub-elements each contain a non-silicon semiconductorwhere the non-silicon semiconductor in each sub-element is sensitive toand/or has been sensitized to be sensitive to different spectral bandsof electromagnetic radiation.

In WO 2012/110924 A1, the content of which is herewith included byreference, a detector for optically detecting at least one object isproposed. The detector comprises at least one optical sensor. Theoptical sensor has at least one sensor region. The optical sensor isdesigned to generate at least one sensor signal in a manner dependent onan illumination of the sensor region. The sensor signal, given the sametotal power of the illumination, is dependent on a geometry of theillumination, in particular on a beam cross section of the illuminationon the sensor area. The detector furthermore has at least one evaluationdevice. The evaluation device is designed to generate at least one itemof geometrical information from the sensor signal, in particular atleast one item of geometrical information about the illumination and/orthe object.

U.S. provisional applications 61/739,173, filed on Dec. 19, 2012,61/749,964, filed on Jan. 8, 2013, and 61/867,169, filed on Aug. 19,2013, and international patent application PCT/162013/061095, filed onDec. 18, 2013, the full content of all of which is herewith included byreference, disclose a method and a detector for determining a positionof at least one object, by using at least one transversal optical sensorand at least one optical sensor. Specifically, the use of sensor stacksis disclosed, in order to determine a longitudinal position of theobject with a high degree of accuracy and without ambiguity.

Despite the advantages implied by the above-mentioned devices anddetectors, specifically by the detectors disclosed in WO 2012/110924 A1,U.S. 61/739,173 and 61/749,964, several technical challenges remain.Thus, generally, a need exists for optical detectors which are capableof capturing an image of an object, specifically a 3D image, and whichare both reliable and, still, may be manufactured at low cost. Further,for various purposes, it is desirable to provide optical detectors whichare both transparent and capable of capturing an image of an object.

Problem Addressed by the Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an opticaldetector and a method for manufacturing the same which address theabove-mentioned technical challenges. Specifically, an optical detectorshall be disclosed which is capable of taking an image of an object,preferably at high resolution, which is both reliable and may bemanufactured at a low cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This problem is solved by the invention with the features of theindependent patent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention,which can be realized individually or in combination, are presented inthe dependent claims and/or in the following specification and detailedembodiments.

As used herein, the expressions “have”, “comprise” and “contain” as wellas grammatical variations thereof are used in a non-exclusive way. Thus,the expression “A has B” as well as the expression “A comprises B” or “Acontains B” may both refer to the fact that, besides B, A contains oneor more further components and/or constituents, and to the case inwhich, besides B, no other components, constituents or elements arepresent in A. Further, as used herein, the expressions “specifically”,“preferably”, “more preferably” or “most preferably” are used in orderto mark specific options for realizing certain optional features of thepresent invention, notwithstanding the fact that other embodiments arefeasible. It shall be noted that no restriction of the scope of theclaims shall be intended by the use of these expressions.

Further, as used in the following, the terms “preferably”, “morepreferably”, “more preferably”, “particularly”, “more particularly”,“specifically”, “more specifically” or similar terms are used inconjunction with optional features, without restricting alternativepossibilities. Thus, features introduced by these terms are optionalfeatures and are not intended to restrict the scope of the claims in anyway. The invention may, as the skilled person will recognize, beperformed by using alternative features. Similarly, features introducedby “in an embodiment of the invention” or similar expressions areintended to be optional features, without any restriction regardingalternative embodiments of the invention, without any restrictionsregarding the scope of the invention and without any restrictionregarding the possibility of combining the features introduced in suchway with other optional or non-optional features of the invention.

In a first aspect of the present invention, an optical detector isdisclosed. As used herein, an optical detector is a device capable ofmeasuring at least one optical signal. Specifically, the opticaldetector shall be adapted for taking at least one image of an object. Asfurther used herein, the term “image” generally refers to an array ofinformation values, specifically a two-dimensional or eventhree-dimensional or higher-dimensional array of information values,wherein each information value indicates a signal generated by animaging element of an array of imaging elements, wherein the imagingelements of the array of imaging elements, in the following, are alsoreferred to as “pixels”. Consequently, the expression “imaging”generally refers to the action of taking an image as defined above.

The optical detector according to the present invention may be used forvarious purposes. Thus, as an example, the optical detector may be usedin the field of photography, specifically in the field of digitalphotography and/or in a digital camera. Additionally or alternatively,the optical detector may be used in human-machine-interfaces, in orderto translate a position and/or orientation of a user and/or an objectinto an information and/or command readable by a machine. Specifically,the optical detector may be used in a human-machine-interface in thefield of computer gaming, such as for recognizing a position and/or anorientation of a user, a body part of a user and/or a control elementwhich may be held and/or influenced by a user. Other applications arefeasible.

The optical detector comprises at least one optical sensor. As usedherein, the term “optical sensor” generally refers to an element havinga plurality of imaging elements, which, as will be outlined in furtherdetail below, are also referred to as “pixels”. Thus, an optical sensorcomprises a plurality, preferably a matrix of, imaging elements, such aslight-sensitive imaging elements, such as a matrix of pixels.

The optical sensor comprises at least one substrate and at least onephotosensitive layer setup disposed thereon. As used herein, theexpression “substrate” generally refers to a carrier element providingmechanical stability to the optical sensor. As will be outlined infurther detail below, the substrate may be a transparent substrateand/or an intransparent substrate. As an example, the substrate may be aplate-shaped substrate, such as a slide and/or a foil. The substrategenerally may have a thickness of 100 μm to 5 mm, preferably a thicknessof 500 μm to 2 mm. However, other thicknesses are feasible.

As further used herein, a photosensitive layer setup generally refers toan entity having two or more layers which, generally, haslight-sensitive properties. Thus, the photosensitive layer setup iscapable of converting light in one or more of the visible, theultraviolet or the infrared spectral range into an electrical signal.For this purpose, a large number of physical and/or chemical effects maybe used, such as photo effects and/or excitation of organic moleculesand/or formation of excited species within the photosensitive layersetup.

The photosensitive layer setup has at least one first electrode, atleast one second electrode and at least one photovoltaic materialsandwiched in between the first electrode and the second electrode. Aswill be outlined in further detail below, the photosensitive layer setupmay be embodied such that the first electrode is closest to thesubstrate and, thus, is embodied as a bottom electrode. Alternatively,the second electrode may be closest to the substrate and, thus, may beembodied as a bottom electrode. Generally, the expressions “first” and“second”, as used herein, are used for identification purposes only,without intending any ranking and/or without intending to denote anyorder of the photosensitive layer setup. Generally, the term “electrode”refers to an element of the photosensitive layer setup capable ofelectrically contacting the at least one photovoltaic materialsandwiched in between the electrodes. Thus, each electrode may provideone or more layers and/or fields of an electrically conductive materialcontacting the photovoltaic material. Additionally, each of theelectrodes may provide additional electrical leads, such as one or moreelectrical leads for contacting the first electrode and/or the secondelectrode. Thus, each of the first and second electrodes may provide oneor more contact pads for contacting the first electrode and/or thesecond electrode, respectively. As will be outlined in further detailbelow, at least one electrode contact pad may be provided for each ofthe first electrode stripes and/or for each of the second electrodestripes which will be defined in further detail below.

As used herein, a photovoltaic material generally is a material or acombination of materials providing the above-mentioned photosensitivityof the photosensitive layer setup. Thus, the photovoltaic material mayprovide one or more layers of material which, under illumination bylight in one or more of the visible, the ultraviolet or the infraredspectral range, are capable of generating an electrical signal,preferably an electrical signal indicating an intensity of illumination.Thus, the photovoltaic material may comprise one or more photovoltaicmaterial layers which, by itself or in combination, are capable ofgenerating positive and/or negative charges in response to theillumination, such as electrons and/or holes.

As used herein, the term “sandwiched” generally refers to the fact thatthe photovoltaic material, at least partially, is located in anintermediate space in between the first electrode and the secondelectrode, notwithstanding the fact that other regions of thephotovoltaic material may exist, which are located outside theintermediate space in between the first electrode and the secondelectrode.

The photovoltaic material comprises at least one organic material.Further, the first electrode comprises a plurality of first electrodestripes, and the second electrode comprises a plurality of secondelectrode stripes. As used herein, the term “stripe generally refers toan elongated sheet, an elongated layer of material or an elongatedcombination of layers of materials, having a length or elongation whichis larger than its width, such as by at least a factor of 2, morepreferably at least a factor of 5, most preferably at least a factor of10 or at least a factor of 15. Thus, a stripe may be an elongatedrectangular stripe. Additionally or alternatively, the stripe maycomprise one or more bents, curves or other non-linear elements. Thus,generally, the stripes may be linear stripes or may fully or partiallybe embodied as curved or bent stripes, such as meander shaped stripes. Aplurality of stripes preferably may, at least partially, be oriented ina parallel way. Thus, as an example, the first electrode stripes may beparallel first electrode stripes. Similarly, the second electrodestripes may be parallel second electrode stripes. In case the electrodestripes are bent and/or curved, the parallel orientation may be presentat least for sections of these electrode stripes. Other orientations arefeasible. Further, the stripes may have a uniform width all over theelongation of each stripe. Thus, the width may be constant from abeginning of each stripe to the end of the stripe. Additionally oralternatively, the stripes each may have at least one section with avarying width. Preferably, however, the width of each stripe, over thefull elongation of the stripe, does not change by more than 50%, morepreferably by no more than 20% and, most preferably, by no more than 10%or even no more than 5%.

Thus, as an example, the electrode stripes may have a rectangular,elongated shape. Preferably, the first electrode stripes are parallel toeach other, and the second electrode stripes are parallel to each other,at least in a part of their longitudinal extension. Further, preferably,the first electrode stripes are located in a first electrode plane,whereas the second electrode stripes are located in a second electrodeplane, wherein, preferably, the first electrode plane and the secondelectrode plane are oriented parallel to each other. Thus, preferably,the photovoltaic material at least partially is located in a space inbetween the first electrode plane and the second electrode plane.

The first electrode stripes and the second electrode stripes intersectsuch that a matrix of pixels is formed at intersections of the firstelectrode stripes and the second electrode stripes. As used herein, theterm “intersect” refers to the fact that, in a direction of viewperpendicular to the substrate surface, the first electrode plane andthe second electrode plane and/or in a direction parallel to an opticalaxis of the optical sensor, the first and second electrode stripesoverlap. Each pixel comprises a portion of a first electrode stripe andan opposing portion of a second electrode stripe and an amount of thephotovoltaic material located in between the portion of the firstelectrode stripe and the second electrode stripe. As an example,specifically in case the electrode stripes are elongated rectangularelectrode stripes, the pixels may have a rectangular shape and/or ashape of a parallelogram, specifically in a direction of viewperpendicular to a substrate surface. Thus, each of the pixels forms animaging element, comprising the portion of the first electrode stripe,the portion of the second electrode stripe and the at least onephotovoltaic material embedded in between these portions.

As further used herein, a matrix generally refers to a two-dimensionalarrangement of pixels. Thus, the matrix preferably may be a rectangularmatrix having rows and columns of pixels, as will be outlined in furtherdetail below. Still, other shapes of the matrix of pixels are feasible.

Further, each of the first electrode stripes and/or each of the secondelectrode stripes may have at least one contacting portion, such as atleast one contact pad, for electrically contacting the respectiveelectrode stripe. This at least one contacting portion preferably may belocated outside the matrix of pixels, such as close to a rim of thesubstrate. However, other embodiments are feasible.

The optical detector further comprises at least one readout device. Asused herein, the term “readout device” generally refers to a device orcombination of devices adapted for generating a plurality of measurementvalues and/or information values by using the pixels of the matrix ofpixels of the optical sensor. Thus, generally, the readout device may bea device which is capable of generating an image from electrical signalscaptured by using the matrix of pixels. Thus, as will be outlined infurther detail below, the at least one readout device may comprise aplurality of electrical measurement devices, such as a plurality ofvoltmeters and/or a plurality of amperemeters. Further, the readoutdevice may comprise additional elements, such as a data memory, forstoring the information values generated that way, such as for storingone image and/or for storing a plurality of images and/or an imagesequence. Further, additionally or alternatively, the at least onereadout device may comprise one or more electrical interfaces for datatransfer, such as for transferring information values to one or moreexternal devices, such as to one or more data processing devices,wherein the at least one interface may be a wireless interface and/ormay fully or partially be embodied as a wire-bound interface.

The readout device also may be referred to as an evaluation device, maybe part of a larger evaluation device or may comprise at least oneevaluation device. As used herein, the term evaluation device generallyrefers to an arbitrary device adapted to evaluate one or more sensorsignals provided by the at least one optical sensor and/or forperforming one or more further evaluation algorithms. The evaluationdevice specifically may comprise at least one data processing deviceand, more preferably, by using at least one processor. Thus, as anexample, the at least one evaluation device may comprise at least onedata processing device having a software code stored thereon comprisinga number of computer commands.

The evaluation device may be or may comprise one or more integratedcircuits, such as one or more application-specific integrated circuits(ASICs), and/or one or more data processing devices, such as one or morecomputers, preferably one or more microcomputers and/ormicrocontrollers. Additional components may be comprised, such as one ormore preprocessing devices and/or data acquisition devices, such as oneor more devices for receiving and/or preprocessing of the sensorsignals, such as one or more AD-converters and/or one or more filters.Further, the evaluation device may comprise one or more measurementdevices, such as one or more measurement devices for measuringelectrical currents and/or electrical voltages. Thus, as an example, theevaluation device may comprise one or more measurement devices formeasuring electrical currents through and/or electrical voltages of thepixels. Further, the evaluation device may comprise one or more datastorage devices. Further, the evaluation device may comprise one or moreinterfaces, such as one or more wireless interfaces and/or one or morewire-bound interfaces.

The at least one evaluation device may be adapted to perform at leastone computer program, such as at least one computer program adapted forperforming or supporting one or more or even all of the method steps ofthe method according to the present invention. As an example, one ormore algorithms may be implemented which, by using the sensor signals asinput variables, may determine the position of the object.

The evaluation device can be connected to or may comprise at least onefurther data processing device that may be used for one or more ofdisplaying, visualizing, analyzing, distributing, communicating orfurther processing of information, such as information obtained by theoptical sensor and/or by the evaluation device. The data processingdevice, as an example, may be connected or incorporate at least one of adisplay, a projector, a monitor, an LCD, a TFT, a loudspeaker, amultichannel sound system, an LED pattern, or a further visualizationdevice. It may further be connected or incorporate at least one of acommunication device or communication interface, a connector or a port,capable of sending encrypted or unencrypted information using one ormore of email, text messages, telephone, bluetooth, Wi-Fi, infrared orinternet interfaces, ports or connections. It may further be connectedor incorporate at least one of a processor, a graphics processor, a CPU,an Open Multimedia Applications Platform (OMAP™), an integrated circuit,a system on a chip such as products from the Apple A series or theSamsung S3C2 series, a microcontroller or microprocessor, one or morememory blocks such as ROM, RAM, EEPROM, or flash memory, timing sourcessuch as oscillators or phase-locked loops, counter-timers, real-timetimers, or power-on reset generators, voltage regulators, powermanagement circuits, or DMA controllers. Individual units may further beconnected by buses such as AMBA buses.

The evaluation device and/or the data processing device may be connectedby or have further external interfaces or ports such as one or more ofserial or parallel interfaces or ports, USB, Centronics Port, FireWire,HDMI, Ethernet, Bluetooth, RFID, Wi-Fi, USART, or SPI, or analoginterfaces or ports such as one or more of ADCs or DACs, or standardizedinterfaces or ports to further devices such as a 2D-camera device usingan RGB-interface such as CameraLink. The evaluation device and/or thedata processing device may further be connected by one or more ofinterprocessor interfaces or ports, FPGA-FPGA-interfaces, or serial orparallel interfaces ports. The evaluation device and the data processingdevice may further be connected to one or more of an optical disc drive,a CD-RW drive, a DVD+RW drive, a flash drive, a memory card, a diskdrive, a hard disk drive, a solid state disk or a solid state hard disk.

The evaluation device and/or the data processing device may be connectedby or have one or more further external connectors such as one or moreof phone connectors, RCA connectors, VGA connectors, hermaphroditeconnectors, USB connectors, HDMI connectors, 8P8C connectors, BCNconnectors, IEC 60320 C14 connectors, optical fiber connectors,D-subminiature connectors, RF connectors, coaxial connectors, SCARTconnectors, XLR connectors, and/or may incorporate at least one suitablesocket for one or more of these connectors.

Possible embodiments of a single device incorporating one or more of theoptical detectors according to the present invention, the evaluationdevice or the data processing device, such as incorporating one or moreof the optical sensor, optical systems, evaluation device, communicationdevice, data processing device, interfaces, system on a chip, displaydevices, or further electronic devices, are: mobile phones, personalcomputers, tablet PCs, televisions, game consoles or furtherentertainment devices. In a further embodiment, the 3D-camerafunctionality which will be outlined in further detail below may beintegrated in devices that are available with conventional 2D-digitalcameras, without a noticeable difference in the housing or appearance ofthe device, where the noticeable difference for the user may only be thefunctionality of obtaining and or processing 3D information.

Specifically, an embodiment incorporating the optical detector and/or apart thereof such as the evaluation device and/or the data processingdevice may be: a mobile phone incorporating a display device, a dataprocessing device, the optical sensor, optionally the sensor optics, andthe evaluation device, for the functionality of a 3D camera. Thedetector according to the present invention specifically may be suitablefor integration in entertainment devices and/or communication devicessuch as a mobile phone.

A further embodiment of the present invention may be an incorporation ofthe optical detector or a part thereof such as the evaluation deviceand/or the data processing device in a device for use in automotive, foruse in autonomous driving or for use in car safety systems such asDaimler's Intelligent Drive system, wherein, as an example, a deviceincorporating one or more of the optical sensors, optionally one or moreoptical systems, the evaluation device, optionally a communicationdevice, optionally a data processing device, optionally one or moreinterfaces, optionally a system on a chip, optionally one or moredisplay devices, or optionally further electronic devices may be part ofa vehicle, a car, a truck, a train, a bicycle, an airplane, a ship, amotorcycle. In automotive applications, the integration of the deviceinto the automotive design may necessitate the integration of theoptical sensor, optionally optics, or device at minimal visibility fromthe exterior or interior. The detector or a part thereof such as theevaluation device and/or the data processing device may be especiallysuitable for such integration into automotive design.

The readout device comprises a plurality of electrical measurementdevices being connected to the second electrode stripes and a switchingdevice for subsequently connecting the first electrode stripes to theelectrical measurement devices.

As used herein, an electrical measurement device generally refers to adevice which is capable of performing at least one electricalmeasurement, such as for performing at least one current measurementand/or for performing at least one voltage measurement. Thus, eachelectrical measurement device may comprise at least one voltmeter and/orat least one amperemeter. Other embodiments are feasible.

Preferably, at least one electrical measurement device is provided foreach of the second electrode stripes. Thus, as an example, each secondelectrode stripe may be connected permanently or releasably to one ormore measurement devices dedicated to the respective second electrodestripe. The measurement devices, however, may be comprised within asingle device, such as within one integrated circuit. Preferably, theelectrical measurement devices are adapted for simultaneously measuringelectrical signals assigned to the respective second electrode stripes.

As further used herein, a switching device generally is a device whichis adapted for subsequently connecting the first electrode stripes tothe electrical measurement devices. Thus, generally, at a specificmoment in time, one specific first electrode stripe may be connected toall of the measurement devices and/or to a plurality of the measurementdevices. Thus, as an example, each measurement device may have a firstmeasurement port and a second measurement port, wherein the firstmeasurement port of the measurement devices or of a plurality of themeasurement devices is connected to one and the same first electrodestripe selected by the switching device, whereas the second ports of themeasurement devices each are connected to their respective secondelectrode stripes. The switching device, at a subsequent moment in time,may be adapted to connect the measurement devices to another one of thefirst electrode stripes, such as to a subsequent one of the firstelectrode stripes. Thus, the switching device preferably may be adaptedto perform a multiplexing scheme, thereby subsequently switching throughall of the first electrode stripes and/or through a predetermined numberof the first electrode stripes.

It shall further be noted that the switching may be performed uniformlyfor all first electrode stripes. Alternatively, the optical sensor maybe split such that at least two switching devices may be provided, eachswitching device being assigned to a plurality of the first electrodestripes. Thus, the optical sensor may be sub-divided into differentregions of first electrode stripes, each region being assigned to adedicated switching device. Additionally or alternatively, aninterleaving switching scheme may be used, such that every n^(th) one ofthe first electrode stripes is assigned to a specific switching device.Various embodiments are feasible.

The optical detector further may comprise at least one optical elementfor optically imaging at least one object onto the optical sensor. Asused herein, an optical element generally refers to an element havingfocusing and/or defocusing properties. Thus, as an example, the at leastone optical element may comprise at least one lens for imaging an objectonto the at least one optical sensor. Additional elements may becomprised within the optical element, such as at least one diaphragmand/or at least one mirror. Additionally or alternatively, one or morewavelength-selective elements may be comprised, such as one or moreoptical filters and/or one or more prisms and/or one or more dichroiticmirrors.

The matrix of pixels, as outlined above, preferably may have rowsdefined by the first electrode stripes and columns defined by the secondelectrode stripes. Thus, the pixels may be arranged in rows and columns,wherein each pixel may be identified by a row number and/or a number ofthe first electrode stripe forming the row and by a column number and/ora number of the second electrode stripe forming the row. Eachmeasurement device preferably may be connected to a column, such thatelectrical signals for the pixels of each row may be measuredsimultaneously. Thus, in one measurement step, each of the measurementdevices may provide at least one measurement signal for the pixelscontained in the row, such that measurement values for all pixels of therow and/or at least for a plurality of the pixels of the row may bemeasured simultaneously. Subsequently, as outlined above, the switchingdevice may switch to another row, such as to a subsequent row, and mayallow for the measurement devices to measure electrical signals of thepixels of this newly selected row, simultaneously. Thus, by subsequentlyswitching through the rows, such as by subsequently switching throughall rows of the matrix of pixels and/or through a plurality of the rowsof the matrix of pixels, measurement values for the pixels may begenerated. By assembling the measurement values, an image may begenerated.

The switching device may be adapted to subsequently connect the rows tothe electrical measurement devices.

As outlined above, the electrical measurement devices each may compriseat least one of a current measurement device and a voltage measurementdevice. Generally, it shall be noted that the electrical measurementdevices may be adapted to generate electrical measurement signals whichmay be used as “raw” electrical measurement signals, without any furtherprocessing. Additionally or alternatively, the measurement signals mayfully or partially be subject to one or more signal processing steps,such as one or more of a filtering step, an analogue-digital conversionstep, an averaging step, such as averaging measurement signals over anumber of measurement values and/or over a specific time span. The atleast one readout device may, accordingly, provide one or more signalprocessing devices. The signal processing devices may be adapted togenerate processed measurement signals. In the following, no differencewill be made between raw measurement signals and processed measurementsignals, such that, wherever measurement signals are mentioned, bothoptions are feasible.

The measurement devices generally may be digital measurement devicesand/or analogue measurement devices. In case the measurement devices arefully or partially designed as analogue measurement devices, preferably,the electrical measurement devices further comprise at least oneanalogue-digital converter. Thus, as an example, each of the electricalmeasurement devices may comprise at least one analogue-digitalconverter. Additionally or alternatively, two or more or even all of theelectrical measurement devices may use one and the same analogue-digitalconverter.

As outlined above, the readout device may further comprise at least onedata memory, such as at least one volatile and/or at least onenon-volatile data memory, for storing measurement values for the pixelsof the matrix.

It shall be noted that the readout device may be embodied as a singledevice or as a plurality of devices. Thus, the readout device maycomprise one or more electrical circuit boards and/or one or moreintegrated circuits. Thus, as an example, the readout device may furthercomprise one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

As outlined above, the switching device generally may be adapted toperform a multiplexing measurement scheme, multiplexing through the rowsof the matrix of pixels. In the multiplexing measurement scheme, thefirst electrode stripes may iteratively be connected to the electricalmeasurement devices. Thus, once the at least one switching device hasswitched through all the rows of the matrix of pixels and/or through allthe rows assigned to the specific switching device, the switchingprocess may start anew, from the beginning, such as by switching back tothe first row. Thus, generally, the at least one readout device may beadapted for driving the detector in a so-called passive-matrix detectionscheme. Thus, generally, the optical detector may be a passive-matrixoptical detector. The electrical signals also referred to as electricalmeasurement signals and/or information values, be it in a raw formand/or in a processed form, specifically may represent an intensity ofillumination for each pixel. Thus, as an example, the measurement valuesspecifically may be adapted to provide gray-scale values for each pixel.Thus, the image may provide a matrix of information values, eachinformation value comprising a gray-scale value for a respective pixelof the matrix of pixels. Thus, as an example, for each pixel, 4-bitinformation values, 8-bit information values or even 16-bit informationvalues may be provided.

It shall further be noted that other information may be provided by theoptical sensor and/or the optical detector. Thus, as an example, colorinformation may be provided, as will be outlined in further detailbelow. Further, it shall be noted that the optical sensor, besides thepixels, may comprise one or more additional elements, such as one ormore additional light-sensitive elements. Thus, as an example, theoptical sensor may provide one or more additional light-sensitiveelements which are not part of the matrix. Further, one or more portionsof the matrix may be exempt from the above-mentioned multiplexingscheme, such as for using these one or more portions of the opticalsensor for other purposes.

As outlined above, one of the first electrode and the second electrodemay form a bottom electrode closest to the substrate, and the other onemay form a top electrode facing away from the substrate. Further, thefirst electrode may be an anode of the photosensitive layer setup, andthe second electrode may be a cathode of the photosensitive layer setupor vice versa.

Specifically, one of the first electrode and the second electrode may bea bottom electrode and the other of the first electrode and the secondelectrode may be a top electrode. The bottom electrode may be applied tothe substrate directly or indirectly, wherein the latter e.g. may implyinterposing one or more buffer layers or protection layers in betweenthe bottom electrode and the substrate. The photovoltaic material may beapplied to the bottom electrode and may at least partially cover thebottom electrode. As outlined above, one or more portions of the bottomelectrode may remain uncovered by the at least one photovoltaicmaterial, such as for contacting purposes. The top electrode may beapplied to the photovoltaic material, such that one or more portions ofthe top electrode are located on top of the photovoltaic material. Asfurther outlined above, one or more additional portions of the topelectrode may be located elsewhere, such as for contacting purposes.Thus, as an example, the bottom electrode may comprise one or morecontact pads, such as at least one contact pad per electrode stripe ofthe bottom electrode, which remain uncovered by the photovoltaicmaterial. Similarly, the top electrode may comprise one or more contactpads, such as at least one contact pad per electrode stripe of the topelectrode, wherein the contact pad preferably is located outside an areacoated by the photovoltaic material.

As outlined above, the substrate may be intransparent or at leastpartially transparent. As used herein, the term “transparent” refers tothe fact that, in one or more of the visible spectral range, theultraviolet spectral range or the infrared spectral range, light maypenetrate the substrate at least partially. Thus, in one or more of thevisible spectral range, the infrared spectral range or the ultravioletspectral range, the substrate may have a transparency of at least 10%,preferably at least 30% or, more preferably, at least 50%. As anexample, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a transparent plasticsubstrate or other types of substrates may be used as transparentsubstrates. Further, multi-layer substrates may be used, such aslaminates.

As further used herein, the term “light” generally refers to one or moreof light in the visible spectral range, the ultraviolet spectral rangeor the infrared spectral range. As further used herein, the visiblespectral range shall be a wavelength range of 380 nm to 780 nm. Theinfrared spectral range generally shall refer to a spectral range of 780nm to 1 mm, more preferably to a spectral range of 780 nm to 3.0 μm. Asfurther used herein, the term “ultraviolet spectral range” generallyshall refer to the range of 1 nm to 380 nm, preferably to the spectralrange of 50 nm to 380 nm, and, more preferably, to the spectral range of200 nm to 380 nm.

As outlined above, one or both of the bottom electrode and the topelectrode may be transparent. Thus, depending on the direction ofillumination of the optical sensor, the bottom electrode, the topelectrode or both may be transparent. As an example, in case atransparent substrate is used, preferably, at least the bottom electrodeis a transparent electrode. In case the bottom electrode is the firstelectrode and/or in case the bottom electrode functions as an anode,preferably, the bottom electrode comprises at least one layer of atransparent conductive oxide, such as indium-tin-oxide, zinc oxide,fluorine-doped tin oxide or a combination of two or more of thesematerials. In case a transparent substrate and a transparent bottomelectrode are used, a direction of illumination of the optical sensormay be through the substrate. In case an intransparent substrate isused, the bottom electrode may be transparent or intransparent. Thus, asan example, an intransparent electrode may comprise one or more metallayers of generally arbitrary thickness, such as one or more layers ofsilver and/or other metals. As an example, the bottom electrode and/orthe first electrode may have a work function of 3 eV to 6 eV.

As outlined above, the top electrode may be intransparent ortransparent. In case an illumination of the optical sensor takes placethrough the substrate and the bottom electrode, the top electrode may beintransparent. In case an illumination takes place through the topelectrode, preferably, the top electrode is transparent. Still, as willbe outlined in further detail below, the whole optical sensor may betransparent, at least in one or more spectral ranges of light. In thiscase, both the bottom electrode and the top electrode may betransparent.

In order to create a transparent top electrode, various techniques maybe used. Thus, as an example, the top electrode may comprise atransparent conductive oxide, such as zinc oxide. The transparentconductive oxide may be applied, as an example, by using appropriatephysical vapor deposition techniques, such as sputtering, thermalevaporation and/or electron-beam evaporation. The top electrode,preferably the second electrode, may be a cathode. Alternatively, thetop electrode may as well function as an anode. Specifically in case thetop electrode functions as a cathode, the top electrode preferablycomprises one or more metal layers, such as metal layers having a workfunction of preferably less than 4.5 eV, such as aluminum. In order tocreate a transparent metal electrode, thin metal layers may be used,such as metal layers having a thickness of less than 50 nm, morepreferably less than 40 nm or even more preferably less than 30 nm.Using these metal thicknesses, a transparency at least in the visiblespectral range may be created. In order to still provide sufficientelectrical conductivity, the top electrode may, in addition to the oneor more metal layers, comprise additional electrically conductivelayers, such as one or more electrically conductive organic materialsapplied in between the metal layers and the at least one photovoltaicmaterial. Thus, as an example, one or more layers of an electricallyconductive polymer may be interposed in between the metal layer of thetop electrode and the photovoltaic material.

As outlined above, both the bottom electrode and the top electrode eachmay comprise a plurality of electrode stripes, corresponding to thefirst electrode stripes and the second electrode stripes. Thus, thebottom electrode may comprise a plurality of bottom electrode stripeswhich form one of the first electrode stripes and the second electrodestripes. The top electrode may comprise a plurality of top electrodestripes, forming the other of the first electrode stripes and the secondelectrode stripes.

As an example, the top electrode may comprise a plurality of metalelectrode stripes. As an example, the metal electrode stripes formingthe top electrode may be made of one or more metal layers comprising oneor more metals selected from the group consisting of Ag, Al, Ag, Au, Pt,Cu. Additionally or alternatively, other metals and/or combinations ofmetals, such as combinations of two or more of the named metals and/orother metals may be used. Further, one or more alloys may be used,containing two or more metals. As an example, one or more alloys of thegroup consisting of NiCr, AlNiCr, MoNb and AlNd may be used. As outlinedabove, however, alternatively, the top electrode may comprise aplurality of stripes made of a transparent conductive oxide, such asmade of one or more of the transparent conductive oxides listed above.

In case a plurality of metal electrode stripes are used, severaltechniques for depositing the electrode stripes and/or patterning themetal electrode stripes may be used. Thus, as an example, one or moredeposition techniques of the metal electrode stripes may be used inwhich the patterning of the metal electrode stripes takes place duringdeposition. Thus, as an example, one or more shadow masks may be used,with slit-shaped openings corresponding to the metal electrode stripes.Additionally or alternatively, however, a large-area coating may be usedin order to deposit the metal electrode, followed by one or morepatterning steps for forming the metal electrode stripes, such as one ormore etching techniques. Again, additionally or alternatively, aself-patterning technique may be used implementing a plurality ofelectrically insulating separators. Thus, as an example, the metalelectrode stripes may be separated by electrically insulatingseparators. This technique generally is known in the field of displaytechnology. For potential separators, which are applicable for thepresent invention, reference may be made, e.g., to EP 1 191 819 A2, US2005/0052120 A1, US 2003/0017360 A1 or other techniques known in thefield of cathode patterning of organic light-emitting passive-matrixdisplays. Thus, generally, the electrically insulating separators may bephotoresist structures, specifically photoresist structures having oneor more negative photoresists, specifically for providing sharp edges atthe top. Thus, by using insulating separators, a self-patterning of thetop electrode into corresponding top electrode stripes may be performedduring deposition of the top electrode.

As outlined above, the photosensitive layer setup preferably may be aphotovoltaic layer setup, specifically a layer setup of one or more ofan organic photodiode and/or a solar cell having one or more organicmaterials. Preferably, the photosensitive layer setup may be a layersetup of a dye-sensitized solar cell, more preferably of a soliddye-sensitized solar cell (sDSC). Thus, the optical sensor, specificallythe photosensitive layer setup and, more preferably, the photovoltaicmaterial, may comprise an n-semiconducting metal oxide, preferably anano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide, wherein the electricallyinsulating separators are deposited on top of the n-semiconducting metaloxide. Thus, as an example, the optical detector may comprise a layersetup of bottom electrode stripes directly or indirectly deposited ontop of the substrate, followed by one or more layers of a nano-porousn-semiconducting metal oxide, such as one or more layers of titaniumdioxide. The electrically insulating separators, specifically separatorbars, may be deposited on top of the one or more layers of thesemiconducting metal oxide. The deposition of the insulating separatorsmay take place before or after sensitizing the n-semiconducting metaloxide with at least one dye. Thus, as an example, the separators may bedeposited on top of the n-semiconducting metal oxide, before sensitizingthe n-semiconducting metal oxide with the at least one dye.Subsequently, one or more additional layers may be deposited, such asone or more p-semiconducting materials, preferably one or morep-semiconducting organic materials, followed by the deposition of thetop electrode which is self-patterned by the insulating separators.Thus, as an example, the optical sensor may further comprise at leastone solid p-semiconducting organic material which is deposited on top ofthe n-semiconducting metal oxide, wherein the solid p-semiconductingorganic material is sub-divided into a plurality of stripe-shapedregions by the electrically insulating separators. On top of thep-semiconducting organic material, one or more layers of the topelectrode may be deposited, and the electrically insulating separatorsmay sub-divide the top electrode into a plurality of top electrodestripes.

As outlined above, the top electrode may be intransparent ortransparent. In case a transparent top electrode is provided, severaltechniques are applicable, as partially explained above. Thus, as anexample, the top electrode may comprise one or more metal layers. The atleast one metal layer may have a thickness of less than 50 nm,preferably a thickness of less than 40 nm, more preferably a thicknessof less than 30 nm or even a thickness of less than 25 nm or less than20 nm. The metal layer may comprise at least one metal selected from thegroup consisting of: Ag, Al, Ag, Au, Pt, Cu. Additionally oralternatively, other metals and/or combinations of metals, such ascombinations of two or more of the named metals and/or other metals maybe used. Further, one or more alloys may be used, containing two or moremetals. As an example, one or more alloys of the group consisting ofNiCr, AlNiCr, MoNb and AlNd may be used. The use of other metals,however, is possible.

The top electrode may further comprise at least one electricallyconductive polymer embedded in between the photovoltaic material and themetal layer. The electrically conductive polymer may be sub-divided intostripes, in order to follow the shape of the top electrode stripes. Thesub-division of the electrically conductive polymer into electricallyconductive polymer stripes which, again, are covered by the metalstripes, may be performed in various ways. Thus, as an example, thedeposition of the at least one electrically conductive polymer may beperformed in a patterned way, such as by using appropriate patterneddeposition techniques such as printing techniques. Additionally oralternatively, a subsequent patterning may be used. Again, additionallyor alternatively, the above-mentioned separators may as well be used forseparating the electrically conductive polymer into electricallyconductive polymer stripes.

Various possibilities of electrically conductive polymers which areusable within the present invention exist. Thus, as an example, theelectrically conductive polymer may be intrinsically electricallyconductive. As an example, the electrically conductive polymer maycomprise one or more conjugated polymers. As an example, theelectrically conductive polymer may comprise at least one polymerselected from the group consisting of a poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene(PEDOT), preferably PEDOT being electrically doped with at least onecounter ion, more preferably PEDOT doped with sodium polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS); a polyaniline (PANI); a polythiophene.

The optical detector may further comprise at least one encapsulationprotecting one or more of the photovoltaic material, the first electrodeor the second electrode at least partially from moisture. Thus, as anexample, the encapsulation may comprise one or more encapsulation layersand/or may comprise one or more encapsulation caps. As an example, oneor more caps selected from the group consisting of glass caps, metalcaps, ceramic caps and polymer or plastic caps may be applied on top ofthe photosensitive layer setup in order to protect the photosensitivelayer setup or at least a part thereof from moisture. Additionally oralternatively, one or more encapsulation layers may be applied, such asone or more organic and/or inorganic encapsulation layers. Still,contact pads for electrically contacting the bottom electrode stripesand/or the top electrode stripes may be located outside the cap and/orthe one or more encapsulation layers, in order to allow for anappropriate electrical contacting of the electrode stripes.

As outlined above, each of the pixels may form an individualphotovoltaic device, preferably an organic photovoltaic device. Thus, asan example, each pixel may form a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC), morepreferably a solid dye-sensitized solar cell (sDSC). Thus, as outlinedabove, the photovoltaic material preferably may comprise at least onen-semiconducting metal oxide, at least one dye and at least one solidp-semiconducting organic material. As further outlined above, then-semiconducting metal oxide may be sub-divided into at least one denselayer or solid layer of the n-semiconducting metal oxide, functioning asa buffer layer on top of the first electrode. Additionally, then-semiconducting metal oxide may comprise one or more additional layersof the same or another n-semiconducting metal oxide having nano-porousand/or nano-particulate properties. The dye may sensitize the latterlayer, by forming a separate dye layer on top of the nano-porousn-semiconducting metal oxide and/or by soaking at least part of then-semiconducting metal oxide layer. Thus, generally, the nano-porousn-semiconducting metal oxide may be sensitized with the at least onedye, preferably with the at least one organic dye.

The optical detector may comprise one or more of the optical sensors asdisclosed above and/or as disclosed in further detail below. The opticaldetector, however, may comprise, additionally, one or more additionalimaging devices. As used herein, an additional imaging device is imagingdevice which the setup of the optical sensor as disclosed above or asdisclosed in further detail below. Thus, as an example, other types ofoptical sensors may be used as additional imaging devices which do nothave the setup as disclosed above. Thus, as an example, the at least oneoptional additional imaging device may be or may comprise one or moreconventional imaging devices. As an example, one or more semiconductorimaging devices may be present within the optical detector, such as oneor more CCD chips and/or one or more CMOS chips. Thus, the opticalsensor may be used alone, in combination with one or more additionaloptical sensors and/or in combination with one or more additionalimaging devices. As an example, the optical detector may comprise astack of at least two imaging devices, wherein at least one of theimaging devices is the optical sensor. As an example, a plurality ofimaging devices may be stacked along an optical axis of the detector,such as with their respective sensitive surfaces facing parallel to theoptical axis of the detector. As an example, the optical sensor may be atransparent optical sensor, and light entering the optical detector may,firstly, pass the at least one optical sensor, before finallyilluminating an intransparent imaging device at an end of the stack ofimaging devices facing away from the object emitting the light.

Further, in case a stack comprising at least two imaging devices isused, the imaging devices may have the same spectral sensitivity and/ormay have differing spectral sensitivities. Thus, as an example, one ofthe imaging devices may have a spectral sensitivity in a firstwavelength band, and another one of the imaging devices may have aspectral sensitivity in a second wavelength band, the first wavelengthband being different from the second wavelength band. By evaluatingsignals and/or images generated with these imaging devices, a colorinformation may be generated. In this context, it is preferred to use atleast one transparent optical sensor within the stack of imagingdevices, as discussed above. The spectral sensitivities of the imagingdevices may be adapted in various ways. Thus, the at least onephotovoltaic material comprised in the imaging devices may be adapted toprovide a specific spectral sensitivity, such as by using differenttypes of dyes. Thus, by choosing appropriate dyes, a specific spectralsensitivity of the imaging devices may be generated. Additionally oralternatively, other means for adjusting the spectral sensitivity of theimaging devices may be used. Thus, as an example, one or morewavelength-selective elements may be used and may be assigned to one ormore of the imaging devices, such that the one or morewavelength-selective elements, by definition, become part of therespective imaging devices. As an example, one or morewavelength-selective elements may be used selected from the groupconsisting of a filter, preferably a color filter, a prism and adichroitic mirror. Thus, generally, by using one or more of theabove-mentioned means and/or other means, the imaging devices may beadjusted such that two or more of the imaging device is exhibitdiffering spectral sensitivities.

As outlined above, the optical detector specifically may comprise astack of at least two imaging devices. Therein, one or preferably atleast two of the imaging devices may be optical sensors having the setupdisclosed above or disclosed in further detail below. These opticalsensors may also be referred to as pixelated optical sensors or simplypixelated sensors. Thus, generally, the optical detector comprises one,two or more imaging devices, wherein one or more of the imaging devicesmay be embodied as or may comprise one or more optical sensors havingthe setup disclosed above or as disclosed in further detail below. Thus,the stack may comprise one, two or more optical sensors, such astransparent or at least partially transparent optical sensors. The stackspecifically may comprise two or more optical sensors having differingspectral sensitivities. Differing spectral sensitivities specificallymay be achieved by using two or more different types of dyes. Thus, thestack may comprise at least one first type of optical sensor having atleast one first spectral sensitivity, such as a first absorptionspectrum, such as a first absorption spectrum generated by using atleast one first type of dye, and at least one second type of opticalsensor, having at least one second spectral sensitivity, such as asecond absorption spectrum, such as a second absorption spectrumgenerated by using at least one second type of dye. By evaluating sensorsignals from the optical sensors having differing spectralsensitivities, the optical detector may be adapted to generate at leastone item of color information regarding an object within a field of viewof the optical detector and/or at least one item of color informationregarding a light beam entering the optical detector, such as colorcoordinates or the like. For generating the at least one item of colorinformation, the sensor signals of the optical sensors having differingspectral sensitivities specifically may be evaluated by using at leastone evaluation algorithm such as an algorithm using the sensor signalsas input variables and/or a lookup table or the like. The stackspecifically may comprise the optical sensors having differing spectralsensitivities in an alternating sequence.

By using a stack comprising two or more optical sensors, the opticaldetector specifically may be adapted to acquire a three-dimensionalimage by evaluating sensor signals of the optical sensors. Thus, asoutlined above, the pixelated optical sensors may be arranged in aplurality of focal planes, allowing for simultaneously or subsequentlyacquiring a stack of two-dimensional images, wherein the two-dimensionalimages in combination may form a three-dimensional image. The opticaldetector specifically may be adapted to acquire a multicolorthree-dimensional image, preferably a full-color three-dimensionalimage, by evaluating sensor signals of the optical sensors havingdiffering spectral properties. Thus, summarizing, the optical detectorgenerally may be adapted to acquire a three-dimensional image of a scenewithin a field of view of the optical detector. A possible evaluationalgorithm for aquiring 3D image information is depth from defocus,further algorithms are possible.

Additionally or alternatively, the optical detector may be adapted fordetermining at least one position of at least one object, such as anobject within a field of view of the optical detector and/or within ascene captured by the optical detector. As used herein, the term“position” generally refers to an arbitrary item of informationregarding an absolute position and/or an orientation of the object inspace. As an example, the position may be determined by one or morecoordinates, such as one or more Cartesian coordinates and/or rotationalcoordinates. Further, as an example, the position may be determined bydetermining a distance between the optical detector and the object.

For determining the position of the object and/or for deriving at leastone item of information regarding the position, various algorithms maybe used. Specifically, the optical detector may be adapted, such as byan appropriate evaluation device and/or by appropriately designing thereadout device, to evaluate at least one image captured by the at leastone optical sensor of the optical detector. For this purpose, variousimage evaluation algorithms may be used. As an example, a transversalcoordinate of the object may be determined by evaluating a position ofan image of the object on the optical sensor. For determining a distancebetween the object and the optical detector, various algorithms areknown to the skilled person and generally may be used. Thus, as anexample, the size of an image of the object on the optical sensor may beevaluated, in order to determine the distance between the object and theoptical detector. Further, as an example, evaluation algorithms such as“blob tracking” and/or “counter tracking” are generally known to theskilled person and may be used in the context of the present invention.

As will be outlined in further detail below, the optical detector mayfurther be adapted for acquiring a three-dimensional image of an objectand/or of a scene captured by the optical detector. Thus, specificallyby using a stack of pixelated optical sensors, one or morethree-dimensional images may be captured. Thus, images acquired by eachpixelated optical sensor may be combined to achieve one or morethree-dimensional images. By evaluating the one or morethree-dimensional images, further information regarding the position ofat least one object may be derived. Thus, by detecting an image of theobject within the three-dimensional image generated by using the opticaldetector, a position of the object in space may be derived. This isgenerally due to the fact that, by detecting the image of the objectwithin the three-dimensional image and by using generally known imagingproperties of the optical detector, position information regarding theobject in space may be derived.

Thus, generally, the optical detector, may be used to record images suchas at different focal planes simultaneously. Preferably the distances tothe lens are as such, that different parts of the images are in focus.Thus, the images can be used in image-processing techniques known asfocus stacking, z-stacking, focal plane merging. One application ofthese techniques is obtaining images with greater depth of field, whichis especially helpful in imaging techniques with typically very shallowdepth of field such as macro photography or optical microscopy. Anotherapplication is to obtain distance information using algorithms,convolution based algorithms such as depth from focus or depth fromdefocus. Another application is to optimize the images to obtain agreater artistic or scientific merit.

The optical detector having the plurality of pixelated sensors also maybe used to record a light-field behind a lens or lens system of thedetector, comparable to a plenoptic or light-field camera. Thus,specifically, the detector may be embodied as a light-field cameraadapted for acquiring images in multiple focal planes, such assimultaneously. The term light-field, as used herein, generally refersto the spatial light propagation of light inside the detector such asinside camera. The detector according to the present invention,specifically having a stack of optical sensors, may have the capabilityof directly recording a light-field within the detector or camera, suchas behind a lens. The plurality of pixelated sensors may record imagesat different distances from the lens. Using, e.g., convolution-basedalgorithms such as “depth from focus” or “depth from defocus”, thepropagation direction, focus points, and spread of the light behind thelens can be modeled. From the modeled propagation of light behind thelens, images at various distances to the lens can be extracted, thedepth of field can be optimized, pictures that are in focus at variousdistances can be extracted, or distances of objects can be calculated.Further information may be extracted.

Once the light propagation inside the detector, such as behind a lens ofthe detector, is modeled and/or recorded, this knowledge of lightpropagation provides a large number of advantages. This knowledge oflight propagation, as an example, allows for slightly modifying theobserver position after recording an image stack using image processingtechniques. In a single image, an object may be hidden behind anotherobject and is not visible. However, if the light scattered by the hiddenobject reaches the lens and through the lens one or more of the sensors,the object may be made visible, by changing the distance to the lensand/or the image plane relative to the optical axis, or even usingnon-planar image planes. The change of the observer position may becompared to looking at a hologram, in which changing the observerposition slightly changes the image. The modification of observerposition may be especially beneficial in motion capture and threedimensional video recordings as an unrealistically flat perception ofthree dimensional objects, known as cardboard effect, is avoided.

The use of several pixelated sensors further allows for correcting lenserrors in an image processing step after recording the images. Opticalinstruments often become expensive and challenging in construction, whenlens errors need to be corrected. These are especially problematic inmicroscopes and telescopes. In microscopes, a typical lens error is thatrays of varying distance to the optical axis are distorted differently(spherical aberration). In telescopes, varying the focus may occur fromdiffering temperatures in the atmosphere. Static errors such asspherical aberration or further errors from production may be correctedby determining the errors in a calibration step and then using a fixedimage processing such as fixed set of pixels and sensor, or moreinvolved processing techniques using light propagation information. Incases in which lens errors are strongly time-dependent, i.e. dependenton weather conditions in telescopes, the lens errors may be corrected byusing the light propagation behind the lens, calculating extended depthof field images, using depth from focus techniques, and others.

The optical detector according to the present invention, comprising theat least one optical sensor and the at least one readout device, mayfurther be combined with one or more other types of sensors ordetectors. Thus, the optical detector comprising the at least oneoptical sensor having the matrix of pixels (in the following also simplyreferred to as the pixelated optical sensor and/or the pixelated sensor)and the at least one readout device may further comprise at least oneadditional detector. The at least one additional detector may be adaptedfor detecting at least one parameter, such as at least one of: aparameter of a surrounding environment, such as a temperature and/or abrightness of a surrounding environment; a parameter regarding aposition and/or orientation of the detector; a parameter specifying astate of the object to be detected, such as a position of the object,e.g. an absolute position of the object and/or an orientation of theobject in space. Thus, generally, the principles of the presentinvention may be combined with other measurement principles in order togain additional information and/or in order to verify measurementresults or reduce measurement errors or noise.

Specifically, the detector according to the present invention mayfurther comprise at least one time-of-flight (ToF) detector adapted fordetecting at least one distance between the at least one object and theoptical detector by performing at least one time-of-flight measurement.As used herein, a time-of-flight measurement generally refers to ameasurement based on a time a signal needs for propagating between twoobjects or from one object to a second object and back. In the presentcase, the signal specifically may be one or more of an acoustic signalor an electromagnetic signal such as a light signal. A time-of-flightdetector consequently refers to a detector adapted for performing atime-of-flight measurement. Time-of-flight measurements are well-knownin various fields of technology such as in commercially availabledistance measurement devices or in commercially available flow meters,such as ultrasonic flow meters. Time-of-flight detectors even may beembodied as time-of-flight cameras. These types of cameras arecommercially available as range-imaging camera systems, capable ofresolving distances between objects based on the known speed of light.

Presently available ToF detectors generally are based on the use of apulsed signal, optionally in combination with one or more light sensorssuch as CMOS-sensors. A sensor signal produced by the light sensor maybe integrated. The integration may start at two different points intime. The distance may be calculated from the relative signal intensitybetween the two integration results.

Further, as outlined above, ToF cameras are known and may generally beused, also in the context of the present invention. These ToF camerasmay contain pixelated light sensors. However, since each pixel generallyhas to allow for performing two integrations, the pixel constructiongenerally is more complex and the resolutions of commercially availableToF cameras are rather low (typically 200×200 pixels). Distances below˜40 cm and above several meters typically are difficult or impossible todetect. Furthermore, the periodicity of the pulses leads to ambiguousdistances, as only the relative shift of the pulses within one period ismeasured.

ToF detectors, as standalone devices, typically suffer from a variety ofshortcomings and technical challenges. Thus, in general, ToF detectorsand, more specifically, ToF cameras suffer from rain and othertransparent objects in the light path, since the pulses might bereflected too early, objects behind the raindrop are hidden, or inpartial reflections the integration will lead to erroneous results.Further, in order to avoid errors in the measurements and in order toallow for a clear distinction of the pulses, low light conditions arepreferred for ToF-measurements. Bright light such as bright sunlight canmake a ToF-measurement impossible. Further, the energy consumption oftypical ToF cameras is rather high, since pulses must be bright enoughto be back-reflected and still be detectable by the camera. Thebrightness of the pulses, however, may be harmful for eyes or othersensors or may cause measurement errors when two or more ToFmeasurements interfere with each other. In summary, current ToFdetectors and, specifically, current ToF-cameras suffer from severaldisadvantages such as low resolution, ambiguities in the distancemeasurement, limited range of use, limited light conditions, sensitivitytowards transparent objects in the light path, sensitivity towardsweather conditions and high energy consumption. These technicalchallenges generally lower the aptitude of present ToF cameras for dailyapplications such as for safety applications in cars, cameras for dailyuse or human-machine-interfaces, specifically for use in gamingapplications.

In combination with the optical detector according to the presentinvention, providing at least one pixelated optical sensor and thereadout device, the advantages and capabilities of both systems may becombined in a fruitful way. Thus, the optical detector may provideadvantages at bright light conditions, while the ToF detector generallyprovides better results at low-light conditions. A combined device, i.e.an optical detector according to the present invention further includingat least one ToF detector, therefore provides increased tolerance withregard to light conditions as compared to both single systems. This isespecially important for safety applications, such as in cars or othervehicles.

Specifically, the optical detector may be designed to use at least oneToF measurement for correcting at least one measurement performed byusing the pixelated optical sensor and vice versa. Further, theambiguity of a ToF measurement may be resolved by using the opticaldetector. A measurement using the pixelated optical sensor specificallymay be performed whenever an analysis of ToF measurements results in alikelihood of ambiguity. Additionally or alternatively, measurementsusing the pixelated optical sensor may be performed continuously inorder to extend the working range of the ToF detector into regions whichare usually excluded due to the ambiguity of ToF measurements.Additionally or alternatively, the pixelated optical sensor may cover abroader or an additional range to allow for a broader distancemeasurement region. The pixelated optical sensor, specifically when usedin a camera, may further be used for determining one or more importantregions for measurements to reduce energy consumption or to protecteyes. Thus the pixelated optical sensor may be adapted for detecting oneor more regions of interest. Additionally or alternatively, thepixelated optical sensor may be used for determining a rough depth mapof one or more objects within a scene captured by the detector, whereinthe rough depth map may be refined in important regions by one or moreToF measurements. Further, the pixelated optical sensor may be used toadjust the ToF detector, such as the ToF camera, to the requireddistance region. Thereby, a pulse length and/or a frequency of the ToFmeasurements may be pre-set, such as for removing or reducing thelikelihood of ambiguities in the ToF measurements. Thus, generally, thepixelated optical sensor may be used for providing an autofocus for theToF detector, such as for the ToF camera.

As outlined above, a rough depth map may be recorded by the pixelatedoptical sensor, which may be used as a camera or as a part of a camera.Further, the rough depth map, containing depth information orz-information regarding one or more objects within a scene captured bythe detector, may be refined by using one or more ToF measurements. TheToF measurements specifically may be performed only in importantregions. Additionally or alternatively, the rough depth map may be usedto adjust the ToF detector, specifically the ToF camera.

Further, the use of the pixelated optical sensor in combination with theat least one ToF detector may solve the above-mentioned problem of thesensitivity of ToF detectors towards the nature of the object to bedetected or towards obstacles or media within the light path between thedetector and the object to be detected, such as the sensitivity towardsrain or weather conditions. A combined pixelated/ToF measurement may beused to extract the important information from ToF signals, or measurecomplex objects with several transparent or semi-transparent layers.Thus, objects made of glass, crystals, liquid structures, phasetransitions, liquid motions, etc. may be observed. Further, thecombination of a pixelated detector and at least one ToF detector willstill work in rainy weather, and the overall detector will generally beless dependent on weather conditions. As an example, measurement resultsprovided by the pixelated optical sensor may be used to remove theerrors provoked by rain from ToF measurement results, which specificallyrenders this combination useful for safety applications such as in carsor other vehicles.

The implementation of at least one ToF detector into the opticaldetector according to the present invention may be realized in variousways. Thus, the at least one pixelated optical sensor and the at leastone ToF detector may be arranged in a sequence within the same lightpath. As an example, at least one transparent pixelated optical sensormay be placed in front of at least one ToF detector. Additionally oralternatively, separate light paths or split light paths for thepixelated optical sensor and the ToF detector may be used. Therein, asan example, light paths may be separated by one or more beam-splittingelements, such as one or more of the beam splitting elements listedabove or listed in further detail below. As an example, a separation ofbeam paths by wavelength-selective elements may be performed. Thus,e.g., the ToF detector may make use of infrared light, whereas thepixelated optical sensor may make use of light of a differentwavelength. In this example, the infrared light for the ToF detector maybe separated off by using a wavelength-selective beam splitting elementsuch as a hot mirror. Additionally or alternatively, light beams usedfor the measurement using the pixelated optical sensor and light beamsused for the ToF measurement may be separated by one or morebeam-splitting elements, such as one or more semitransparent mirrors,beam-splitter cubes, polarization beam splitters or combinationsthereof. Further, the at least one pixelated optical sensor and the atleast one ToF detector may be placed next to each other in the samedevice, using distinct optical pathways. Various other setups arefeasible.

The at least one optional ToF detector may be combined with basicallyany of the embodiments of the optical detector according to the presentinvention. Specifically, the at least one ToF detector which may be asingle ToF detector or a ToF camera, may be combined with a singleoptical sensor or with a plurality of optical sensors such as a sensorstack. Further, the optical detector may also comprise one or moreimaging devices such as one or more inorganic imaging devices like CCDchips and/or CMOS chips, preferably one or more full-color CCD chips orfull-color CMOS chips. Additionally or alternatively, the opticaldetector may further comprise one or more thermographic cameras.

As outlined above, the at least one optical sensor or pixelated sensorof the detector, as an example, may be or may comprise at least oneorganic optical sensor. As an example, the at least one optical sensormay be or may comprise at least one organic solar cell, such as at leastone dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC), preferably at least one solid DSCor sDSC. Specifically, the at least one optical sensor may be or maycomprise at least one optical sensor capable of showing an effect of thesensor signal being dependent on a photon density or flux of photons. Inthe following, these types of optical sensors are referred to as FiPsensors. In FiP sensors, given the same total power p of illumination,the sensor signal i is generally dependent on a flux F of photons, i.e.the number of photons per unit area. In other words, the at least oneoptical sensor may comprise at least one optical sensor which is definedas a FiP sensor, i.e. as an optical sensor capable of providing a sensorsignal, the optical sensor having at least one sensor region, such as aplurality of sensor regions like e.g. pixels, wherein the sensor signal,given the same total power of illumination of the sensor region by thelight beam, is dependent on a geometry of the illumination, inparticular on a beam cross section of the illumination on the sensorarea. This effect including potential embodiments of optical sensorsexhibiting this effect (such as sDSCs) is disclosed in further detail inWO 2012/110924 A1, in U.S. provisional applications 61/739,173, filed onDec. 19, 2012, 61/749,964, filed on Jan. 8, 2013, and 61/867,169, filedon Aug. 19, 2013, and international patent applicationPCT/162013/061095, filed on Dec. 18, 2013. The embodiments of opticalsensors exhibiting the FiP effect as disclosed in these prior artdocuments, which all are included herewith by reference, may also beused as optical sensors in the detector according to the presentinvention, besides the fact that the optical sensors or at least one ofthe optical sensors are pixelated. Thus, the optical sensors as used inone or more of the above-mentioned prior art documents, in a pixelatedfashion, may also be used in the context of the present invention. Asoutlined above, a pixelation may simply be achieved by an appropriatepatterning of the first and/or second electrodes of these opticalsensors. Thus, each of the pixels of the pixelated optical sensorexhibiting the above-mentioned FiP-effect may, by itself, form a FiPsensor.

Thus, the optical detector according to the present inventionspecifically may fully or partially be embodied as a pixelated FiPcamera, i.e. as a camera in which the at least one optical sensor or, incase a plurality of optical sensors is provided, at least one of theoptical sensors, are embodied as pixelated FiP sensors. In pixeledFiP-cameras, pictures may be recorded in a similar way as disclosedabove in the setup of the light-field camera. Thus, the detector maycomprise a stack of optical sensors, each optical sensor being embodiedas a pixelated FiP sensor. Pictures may be recorded at differentdistances from the lens. A depth can be calculated from these picturesusing approaches such as depth-from-focus and/or depth-from-defocus.

The FiP measurement typically necessitates two or more FiP sensors suchas organic solar cells exhibiting the FiP effect. The photon density onthe different cells may vary as such, that a current ratio of at least1/100 is obtained between a cell close to focus and a cell out of focus.If the ratio is closer to 1, the measurement may be imprecise.

The at least one readout device, which may fully or partially beembodied as an evaluation device of the optical detector or which mayfully or partially be part of an evaluation device of the opticaldetector, may specifically be embodied to compare signals generated bypixels of different optical sensors, the pixels being located on a lineparallel to an optical axis of the detector. A light cone of the lightbeam might cover a single pixel in the focus region. In the out-of-focusregion, only a small part of the light cone will cover the pixel. Thus,in a stack of pixelated FiP sensors, the signal of the pixel of thesensor being out of focus will generally be much smaller than the signalof the pixel of the sensor being in focus. Consequently, the signalratio will improve. For a calculation of the distance between the objectand the detector, more than two optical sensors may be used in order tofurther increase the precision.

Thus, generally, the at least one optical sensor may comprise at leastone stack of optical sensors, each optical sensor having at least onesensor region and being capable of providing at least one sensor signal,wherein the sensor signal, given the same total power of illumination ofthe sensor region by the light beam, is dependent on a geometry of theillumination, in particular on a beam cross section of the illuminationon the sensor area, wherein the evaluation device may be adapted tocompare at least one sensor signal generated by at least one pixel of afirst one of the optical sensors with at least one sensor signalgenerated by at least one pixel of a second one of the optical sensors,specifically for determining a distance between at least one object andthe optical detector and/or a z-coordinate of the object. The readoutdevice, specifically the evaluation device, may further be adapted forevaluating the sensor signals of the pixels. Thus, one or moreevaluation algorithms may be used. Additionally or alternatively, othermeans of evaluation may be used, such as by using one or more lookuptables, such as one or more lookup tables comprising FiP sensor signalvalues or ratios thereof and corresponding z-coordinates of the objectand/or corresponding distances between the object and the detector. Ananalysis of several FiP-signals, taking into account the distance to thelens and/or a distance between the optical sensors may also result ininformation regarding the light beam, such as the spread of the lightbeam and, thus, the conventional FiP-distance.

The photosensitive layer setup may comprise at least 3 first electrodestripes, preferably at least 10 first electrode stripes, more preferablyat least 30 first electrode stripes and most preferably at least 50first electrode stripes. Similarly, the photosensitive layer setup maycomprise at least 3 second electrode stripes, preferably at least 10second electrode stripes, more preferably at least 30 second electrodestripes and most preferably at least 50 second electrode stripes. Thus,as an example, the photosensitive layer setup may comprise 3-1200 firstelectrode stripes and 3-1200 second electrode stripes, preferably10-1000 first electrode stripes and 10-1000 second electrode stripes andmore preferably 50-500 first electrode stripes and 50-500 secondelectrode stripes. Other embodiments, however, are feasible.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a detector system fordetermining a position of at least one object is disclosed. The detectorsystem comprises at least one optical detector according to the presentinvention, such as at least one optical detector as disclosed in one ormore of the embodiments described above and/or as disclosed in one ormore of the embodiments disclosed in further detail below. As outlinedabove, the optical detector comprises one, two or more imaging devices,wherein one or more of the imaging devices may be embodied as or maycomprise one or more optical sensors having the setup disclosed above oras disclosed in further detail below, i.e. one or more pixelated opticalsensors. Specifically, the optical detector may comprise a stack of twoor more pixelated optical sensors. As outlined above, by using two ormore pixelated optical sensors, such as a stack of two or more pixelatedoptical sensors, and by acquiring images using these pixelated opticalsensors, a three-dimensional image of a scene captured by the opticaldetector and/or of an object may be captured. By evaluating thethree-dimensional image, such as by detecting an image of the objectwithin the three-dimensional image, and optionally by using knownimaging properties of the optical detector, such as known imagingproperties of at least one lens of the optical detector, a position ofthe object in space may be determined, such as a distance between theobject and the optical detector and/or other items of informationregarding the position of the object in space.

The detector system may further comprise at least one beacon deviceadapted to direct at least one light beam towards the detector. As usedherein, a beacon device generally refers to an arbitrary device adaptedto direct at least one light beam towards the optical detector. Thebeacon device may fully or partially be embodied as an active beacondevice, comprising at least one illumination source for generating thelight beam. Additionally or alternatively, the beacon device may fullyor partially be embodied as a passive beacon device comprising at leastone reflective element adapted to reflect a primary light beam generatedindependently from the beacon device towards the optical detector.

The beacon device is at least one of attachable to the object, holdableby the object and integratable into the object. Thus, the beacon devicemay be attached to the object by an arbitrary attachment means, such asone or more connecting elements. Additionally or alternatively, theobject may be adapted to hold the beacon device, such as by one or moreappropriate holding means. Additionally or alternatively, again, thebeacon device may fully or partially be integrated into the object and,thus, may form part of the object or even may form the object.

Generally, with regard to potential embodiments of the beacon device,reference may be made to one or more of U.S. provisional applications61/739,173, filed on Dec. 19, 2012, 61/749,964, filed on Jan. 8, 2013,and 61/867,169, filed on Aug. 19, 2013, and international patentapplication PCT/162013/061095, filed on Dec. 18, 2013, the full contentof all of which is herewith included by reference. Other embodiments arefeasible.

As outlined above, the beacon device may fully or partially be embodiedas an active beacon device and may comprise at least one illuminationsource. Thus, as an example, the beacon device may comprise a generallyarbitrary illumination source, such as an illumination source selectedfrom the group consisting of a light-emitting diode (LED), a light bulb,an incandescent lamp and a fluorescent lamp. Other embodiments arefeasible.

Additionally or alternatively, as outlined above, the beacon device mayfully or partially be embodied as a passive beacon device and maycomprise at least one reflective device adapted to reflect a primarylight beam generated by an illumination source independent from theobject. Thus, in addition or alternatively to generating the light beam,the beacon device may be adapted to reflect a primary light beam towardsthe detector.

The detector system may comprise none, one, two, three or more beacondevices. Thus, generally, in case the object is a rigid object which, atleast on a microscope scale, does not change its shape, preferably, atleast two beacon devices may be used. In case the object is fully orpartially flexible or is adapted to fully or partially change its shape,preferably, three or more beacon devices may be used. Generally, thenumber of beacon devices may be adapted to the degree of flexibility ofthe object. Preferably, the detector system comprises at least threebeacon devices.

The object generally may be a living or non-living object. The detectorsystem even may comprise the at least one object, the object therebyforming part of the detector system. Preferably, however, the object maymove independently from the detector, in at least one spatial dimension.

The object generally may be an arbitrary object. In one embodiment, theobject may be a rigid object. Other embodiments are feasible, such asembodiments in which the object is a non-rigid object or an object whichmay change its shape.

As will be outlined in further detail below, the present invention mayspecifically be used for tracking positions and/or motions of a person,such as for the purpose of controlling machines, gaming or simulation ofsports. In this or other embodiments, specifically, the object may beselected from the group consisting of: an article of sports equipment,preferably an article selected from the group consisting of a racket, aclub, a bat; an article of clothing; a hat; a shoe. In a further aspectof the present invention, a human-machine interface for exchanging atleast one item of information between a user and a machine is disclosed.The human-machine interface comprises at least one detector systemaccording to the present invention, such as to one or more of theembodiments disclosed above and/or according to one or more of theembodiments disclosed in further detail below. The beacon devices areadapted to be at least one of directly or indirectly attached to theuser and held by the user. The human-machine interface is designed todetermine at least one position of the user by means of the detectorsystem. The human-machine interface further is designed to assign to theposition at least one item of information.

In a further aspect of the present invention, an entertainment devicefor carrying out at least one entertainment function is disclosed. Theentertainment device comprises at least one human-machine interfaceaccording to the present invention. The entertainment device further isdesigned to enable at least one item of information to be input by aplayer by means of the human-machine interface. The entertainment devicefurther is designed to vary the entertainment function in accordancewith the information.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a tracking system fortracking a position of at least one movable object is disclosed. Thetracking system comprises at least one detector system according to thepresent invention, such as to one or more of the embodiments disclosedabove and/or according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed infurther detail below. The tracking system further comprises at least onetrack controller, wherein the track controller is adapted to track aseries of positions of the object at specific points in time.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturingan optical detector is disclosed. Preferably, the optical detector is anoptical detector according to the present invention, such as accordingto one or more of the embodiments disclosed above and/or according toone or more of the embodiments disclosed in further detail below. Thus,for potential embodiments of the optical detector, reference may be madeto the disclosure of the optical detector above and/or below. Otherembodiments, however, are feasible.

The method comprises the following method steps. The method steps aregiven in a preferred order. It shall be noted, however, that the methodsteps may also be performed in a different order. Further, two or moreor even all of the method steps may be performed simultaneously and/orin an overlapping fashion. Further, one, two or more of the method stepsmay be performed repeatedly. The method may comprise additional methodsteps which are not listed in the following.

The method steps are as follows:

-   -   a) manufacturing an optical sensor, wherein a photosensitive        layer setup is deposited onto a substrate, the photosensitive        layer setup having at least one first electrode, at least one        second electrode and at least one photovoltaic material        sandwiched in between the first electrode and the second        electrode, wherein the photovoltaic material comprises at least        one organic material, wherein the first electrode comprises a        plurality of first electrode stripes and wherein the second        electrode comprises a plurality of second electrode stripes,        wherein the first electrode stripes and the second electrode        stripes intersect such that a matrix of pixels is formed at        intersections of the first electrode stripes and the second        electrode stripes; and    -   b) connecting at least one readout device to the optical sensor,        the readout device comprising a plurality of electrical        measurement devices being connected to the second electrode        stripes, the readout device further comprising at least one        switching device for subsequently connecting the first electrode        stripes to the electrical measurement devices.

With regard to potential embodiments of the optical sensor and/or thereadout device as well as with regard to potential depositiontechniques, reference may be made to the disclosure of the opticaldetector as given above and/or as given in further detail below.

The connection of the at least one readout device to the optical sensor,preferably to electrical contact pads of the optical sensor contactingthe electrode stripes, may be performed in a permanent way and/or in areleasable way. Thus, in a most simple fashion, contact pins and/orcontact clamps may be used for electrically contacting the electrodestripes. Additionally or alternatively, permanent connection techniquesmay be used, such as connector techniques known in display technology,such as liquid crystal display technology and/or other displaytechnologies. Thus, the connection may take place by using one or moreelectrically conductive adhesives, such as one or more anisotropicelectrically conductive adhesives and/or so-called zebra connectors,i.e. adhesive stripes having conductive portions and non-conductiveportions. These techniques are generally known to the skilled person.

One or both of the method steps given above may comprise two or moresub-steps. Thus, as an example, method step a) may comprise thefollowing sub-steps:

-   -   a1. providing the substrate;    -   a2. depositing at least one bottom electrode onto the substrate,        wherein the bottom electrode is one of the first electrode or        second electrode, wherein the bottom electrode comprises a        plurality of bottom electrode stripes;    -   a3. depositing the at least one photovoltaic material onto the        bottom electrode;    -   a4. depositing at least one top electrode onto the photovoltaic        material, wherein the top electrode is the other one of the        first electrode and the second electrode as compared to method        step a2., wherein the top electrode comprises a plurality of top        electrode stripes, wherein the top electrode stripes are        deposited such that the bottom electrode stripes and the top        electrode stripes intersect such that the matrix of pixels is        formed.

For potential details of the substrate and the deposition of the bottomelectrode and/or the top electrode, reference may be made to thedisclosure given above and/or for further optional embodiments givenbelow. For depositing the at least one photovoltaic material, referencemay be made to known deposition techniques, such as depositiontechniques disclosed in one or more of WO 2012/110924 A1, U.S.provisional application No. 61/739,173 or U.S. provisional applicationNo. 61/749,964. Other deposition techniques, however, are feasible.

As outlined above, various techniques are feasible for patterning thebottom electrode. Thus, as an example, the bottom electrode may bedeposited in an unpatterned way and may subsequently be patterned,preferably by using lithographic techniques such as etching techniques.These techniques, as an example, are known in the field of displaytechnologies, such as for patterning indium-doped tin oxide (ITO), whichmay also be used within the present invention. Additionally oralternatively, the bottom electrode may be deposited in a patterned way,preferably by using one or more of a deposition technique through amask, such as a shadow mask, or a printing technique.

Method step a3. may comprise a number of sub-steps by itself. Thus, asan example, the deposition of the at least one photovoltaic material maycomprise a build-up of a layer setup of a plurality of photovoltaicmaterials. As an example, method step a3. may comprise the followingmethod steps:

-   -   depositing at least one layer of a dense n-semiconducting metal        oxide, preferably a dense layer of TiO₂;    -   depositing at least one layer of a nano-porous n-semiconducting        metal oxide, preferably at least one layer of nano-porous TiO₂;    -   sensitizing the at least one layer of the nano-porous        n-semiconducting metal oxide with at least one organic dye;    -   depositing at least one layer of a solid p-semiconducting        organic material on top of the sensitized nano-porous        n-semiconducting metal oxide.

The deposition techniques used for depositing these layers generally areknown to the skilled person. Thus, again, reference may be made to theabove-mentioned documents. As an example, for depositing the dense layerof the n-semiconducting metal oxide, spray pyrolysis deposition orphysical vapor deposition techniques may be used, such as sputtering,preferably reactive sputtering. Thus, as an example, the at least onelayer of the dense n-semiconducting metal oxide may comprise one or morelayers of titanium dioxide, preferably having a thickness of 10 nm-500nm. For depositing the at least one layer of the nano-porousn-semiconducting metal oxide, various deposition techniques may be used,such as wet processing and/or printing. As an example, wet coatingtechniques may be used, such as doctor blading and/or spin coating, ofsolutions and/or dispersions containing particles of the nano-porousn-semiconducting metal oxide, such as nano-porous titanium dioxideparticles. As an example, the at least one layer of the nano-porousn-semiconducting metal oxide may comprise one or more layers having athickness, in a dry state, of 10 nm-10000 nm.

For sensitizing the at least one layer of the nano-porousn-semiconducting metal oxide, various techniques may be used, preferablywet processing techniques, such as dip-coating, spraying, spin-coating,doctor blading, printing or other techniques or simply soaking the atleast one layer of the nano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide in asolution of the at least one organic dye.

Similarly, for depositing the at least one layer of the solidp-semiconducting organic material, known deposition techniques may beused, such as physical vapor deposition, preferably vacuum evaporationtechniques, and/or wet processing techniques such as printing and/orspin-coating.

It shall be noted that the layer setup disclosed above may also beinverted, by performing the mentioned method steps in a reverse order.

The deposition of the at least one top electrode, as mentioned above,may be performed in various ways. Thus, as an example, a deposition in apatterned way may be performed, preferably by depositing the topelectrode onto the photovoltaic material in a patterned way, such as byusing a deposition through a shadow mask and/or a printing technique.Additionally or alternatively, as outlined above, depositing the topelectrode onto the photovoltaic material may be performed in anunpatterned way, followed by at least one patterning step of the topelectrode, such as by laser ablation and/or another patterning step.Again, additionally or alternatively, the deposition of the topelectrode may fully or partially be performed by providing at least oneseparator on one or more of the substrate or the photovoltaic materialor a part thereof, followed by an unpatterned deposition of the topelectrode, wherein the top electrode is sub-divided into the topelectrode stripes by the separator. Thus, for potential insulatingseparators, reference may be made to the documents listed above.Preferably, the at least one separator, which preferably comprises aplurality of separator stripes, may be a photoresist structure havingsharp edges at the top, for sub-dividing the top electrode into the topelectrode stripes.

As outlined above, the top electrode may be a pure electrode, such aspure metal electrode comprising one or more metal layers, or may be acomposite electrode comprising one or more electrically conductivelayers and one or more metal layers. Thus, as an example, method stepa4. may comprise depositing at least one electrically conductive polymeron top of the photovoltaic material and, preferably subsequently,depositing at least one metal layer on top of the electricallyconductive polymer. In this way, as an example, transparent topelectrodes may be manufactured. Thus, as an example, the metal layer mayhave a thickness of less than 50 nm, preferably a thickness of less than40 nm, more preferably a thickness of less than 30 nm. As outlinedabove, for metal thicknesses of less than 30 nm, such as thicknesses ofless than 20 nm or even less, a transparency of the metal layers may beachieved. Electrical conductivity still may be provided by providing theelectrically conductive polymer underneath the at least one metal layer.The at least one electrically conductive polymer, as outlined above, maybe applied in an unpatterned way, followed by one or more patterningsteps. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one layer of theelectrically conductive polymer may be performed in a patterned way,such as by using one or more printing techniques. Again, additionally oralternatively, the at least one layer of the electrically conductivepolymer may be patterned in a self-patterning step, such as by using theabove-mentioned one or more electrically insulating separators. Thus,the electrically conductive polymer may be spin-coated on top of thesubstrate having the one or more electrically insulating separators,wherein the one or more electrically insulating separators are adaptedto sub-divide the at least one layer of the electrically conductivepolymer into a plurality of electrically conductive polymer stripes.Subsequently, one or more metal layers may be deposited, which, again,may be sub-divided into metal stripes by the one or more electricallyinsulating separators.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of taking atleast one image of an object is disclosed. The object generally may bean arbitrary object of which an image may be taken. The method comprisesthe use of the optical detector according to the present invention, suchas according to one or more of the above-mentioned embodiments and/oraccording to one or more of the embodiments mentioned in further detailbelow.

The method comprises the following method steps which may be performedin the given order. A different order, however, is feasible. Further,two or more of the method steps may be performed overlapping in timeand/or simultaneously. Further, one or more or even all of the methodsteps may be performed repeatedly. Further, the method may compriseadditional method steps which are not listed.

The method comprises the following steps:

-   -   imaging the object onto the optical sensor,    -   subsequently connecting the first electrode stripes to the        measurement devices, wherein the measurement devices, for each        first electrode stripe, measure corresponding electrical signals        for the pixels of the respective first electrode stripe,    -   composing the electrical signals of the pixels to form an image.

The electrical signals of the pixels, as outlined above, may be storedwithin a data memory, such as a volatile and/or a non-volatile datamemory. The data memory may provide an array of values representing theelectrical signals, such as digital values, more preferably gray-scalevalues.

As outlined above, the method may be performed by using raw or primaryelectrical signals which may be subject to one or more processing steps.Thus, the electrical signals may comprise primary electrical signals inan analogue format, wherein the primary electrical signals, alsoreferred to as raw electrical signals, may be transformed into secondaryelectrical signals. The secondary electrical signals may be digitalelectrical signals. For transforming the primary electrical signals intosecondary electrical signals, one or more analogue-digital convertersmay be used. It shall be noted, however, that, alternatively oradditionally, other processing techniques besides analogue-digitalconversion may be used, such as filtering techniques and/or datacompression techniques. Preferably, however, the secondary electricalsignals comprise gray-scale levels for each pixel. Thus, as an example,4-bit gray-scale levels, 8-bit gray-scale levels or even 16-bitgray-scale levels may be used. Other embodiments are feasible.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a use of the opticaldetector according to the present invention, such as to one or more ofthe embodiments disclosed above and/or according to one or more of theembodiments disclosed in further detail below, is disclosed, for apurpose of use, selected from the group consisting of: a positionmeasurement in traffic technology; an entertainment application; asecurity application; a safety application; a human-machine interfaceapplication; a tracking application; a photography application, such asan application for digital photography for arts, documentation ortechnical purposes.

Thus, generally, the optical detector according to the present inventionmay be applied in various fields of uses. Specifically, the opticaldetector may be applied for a purpose of use, selected from the groupconsisting of: a position measurement in traffic technology; anentertainment application; a security application; a human-machineinterface application; a tracking application; a photographyapplication; a mapping application for generating maps of at least onespace, such as at least one space selected from the group of a room, abuilding and a street; a mobile application; an optical head-mounteddisplay; a webcam; an audio device, a Dolby surround audio system; acomputer peripheral device; a gaming application; a camera or videoapplication; a security application; a surveillance application; anautomotive application; a transport application; a medical application;a sports' application; a machine vision application; a vehicleapplication; an airplane application; a ship application; a spacecraftapplication; a building application; a construction application; acartography application; a manufacturing application; a use incombination with at least one time-of-flight detector. Additionally oralternatively, applications in local and/or global positioning systemsmay be named, especially landmark-based positioning and/or navigation,specifically for use in cars or other vehicles (such as trains,motorcycles, bicycles, trucks for cargo transportation), robots or foruse by pedestrians. Further, indoor positioning systems may be named aspotential applications, such as for household applications and/or forrobots used in manufacturing technology.

Thus, as for the optical detectors and devices disclosed in WO2012/110924 A1 or in U.S. provisional applications 61/739,173, filed onDec. 19, 2012, 61/749,964, filed on Jan. 8, 2013, and 61/867,169, filedon Aug. 19, 2013, and international patent applicationPCT/162013/061095, filed on Dec. 18, 2013, the optical detector, thedetector system, the human-machine interface, the entertainment device,the tracking system or the camera according to the present invention (inthe following simply referred to as “the devices according to thepresent invention” may be used for a plurality of application purposes,such as one or more of the purposes disclosed in further detail in thefollowing.

Thus, firstly, the devices according to the present invention may beused in mobile phones, tablet computers, wearable computers, laptops,smart panels or other stationary or mobile computer or communicationapplications. Thus, the devices according to the present invention maybe combined with at least one active light source, such as a lightsource emitting light in the visible range or infrared spectral range,in order to enhance performance. Thus, as an example, the devicesaccording to the present invention may be used as cameras and/orsensors, such as in combination with mobile software for scanningenvironment, objects and living beings. The devices according to thepresent invention may even be combined with 2D cameras, such asconventional cameras, in order to increase imaging effects. The devicesaccording to the present invention may further be used for surveillanceand/or for recording purposes or as input devices to control mobiledevices, especially in combination with voice and/or gesture recognitionand/or eye tracking. Thus, specifically, the devices according to thepresent invention acting as human-machine interfaces, also referred toas input devices, may be used in mobile applications, such as forcontrolling other electronic devices or components via the mobiledevice, such as the mobile phone. As an example, the mobile applicationincluding at least one device according to the present invention may beused for controlling a television set, a game console, a music player ormusic device or other entertainment devices.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used inwebcams or other peripheral devices for computing applications. Thus, asan example, the devices according to the present invention may be usedin combination with software for imaging, recording, surveillance,scanning or motion detection. As outlined in the context of thehuman-machine interface and/or the entertainment device, the devicesaccording to the present invention are particularly useful for givingcommands by facial expressions and/or body expressions. The devicesaccording to the present invention can be combined with other inputgenerating devices like e.g. a mouse, a keyboard, a touchpad, amicrophone, an eye tracker etc. Further, the devices according to thepresent invention may be used in applications for gaming, such as byusing a webcam. Further, the devices according to the present inventionmay be used in virtual training applications and/or video conferences.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used inmobile audio devices, television devices and gaming devices, aspartially explained above. Specifically, the devices according to thepresent invention may be used as controls or control devices forelectronic devices, entertainment devices or the like. Further, thedevices according to the present invention may be used for eye detectionor eye tracking, such as in 2D- and 3D-display techniques, especiallywith transparent or intransparent displays for virtual and/or augmentedreality applications and/or for recognizing whether a display is beinglooked at and/or from which perspective a display is being looked at.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used inor as digital cameras such as DSC cameras and/or in or as reflex camerassuch as SLR cameras. For these applications, reference may be made tothe use of the devices according to the present invention in mobileapplications such as mobile phones and/or smart phones, as disclosedabove.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used forsecurity or surveillance applications. Thus, as an example, at least onedevice according to the present invention can be combined with one ormore digital and/or analog electronics that will give a signal if anobject is within or outside a predetermined area (e.g. for surveillanceapplications in banks or museums). Specifically, the devices accordingto the present invention may be used for optical encryption. Detectionby using at least one device according to the present invention can becombined with other detection devices to complement wavelengths, such aswith IR, x-ray, UV-VIS, radar or ultrasound detectors. The devicesaccording to the present invention may further be combined with at leastone active infrared light source and/or at least one active structuredlight source to allow detection in low light surroundings. The devicesaccording to the present invention are generally advantageous ascompared to active detector systems, specifically since the devicesaccording to the present invention avoid actively sending signals whichmay be detected by third parties, as is the case e.g. in radarapplications, ultrasound applications, LIDAR or similar active detectordevices. Thus, generally, the devices according to the present inventionmay be used for an unrecognized and undetectable tracking of movingobjects. Additionally, the devices according to the present inventiongenerally are less prone to manipulation and irritations as compared toconventional devices.

Further, given the ease and accuracy of 3D detection by using thedevices according to the present invention, the devices according to thepresent invention generally may be used for facial, body and personrecognition and identification. Therein, the devices according to thepresent invention may be combined with other detection means foridentification or personalization purposes such as passwords, fingerprints, iris detection, voice recognition or other means. Thus,generally, the devices according to the present invention may be used insecurity devices and other personalized applications.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used as3D barcode readers for product identification.

In addition to the security and surveillance applications mentionedabove, the devices according to the present invention generally can beused for surveillance and monitoring of spaces and areas. Thus, thedevices according to the present invention may be used for surveying andmonitoring spaces and areas and, as an example, for triggering orexecuting alarms in case prohibited areas are violated. Thus, generally,the devices according to the present invention may be used forsurveillance purposes in building surveillance or museums, optionally incombination with other types of sensors, such as in combination withmotion or heat sensors, in combination with image intensifiers or imageenhancement devices and/or photomultipliers.

Further, the devices according to the present invention mayadvantageously be applied in camera applications such as video andcamcorder applications. Thus, the devices according to the presentinvention may be used for motion capture and 3D-movie recording.Therein, the devices according to the present invention generallyprovide a large number of advantages over conventional optical devices.Thus, the devices according to the present invention generally require alower complexity with regard to optical components. Thus, as an example,the number of lenses may be reduced as compared to conventional opticaldevices, such as by providing the devices according to the presentinvention having one lens only. Due to the reduced complexity, verycompact devices are possible, such as for mobile use. Conventionaloptical systems having two or more lenses with high quality generallyare voluminous, such as due to the general need for voluminousbeam-splitters. As a further advantage in potential applications ofdevices according to the present invention for motion capturing, thesimplified combination of several cameras in order to cover a scene maybe named, since absolute 3D information may be obtained. This also maysimplify merging scenes recorded by two or more 3D-cameras. Further, thedevices according to the present invention generally may be used forfocus/autofocus devices, such as autofocus cameras. Further, the devicesaccording to the present invention may also be used in opticalmicroscopy, especially in confocal microscopy.

Further, the devices according to the present invention generally areapplicable in the technical field of automotive technology and transporttechnology. Thus, as an example, the devices according to the presentinvention may be used as distance and surveillance sensors, such as foradaptive cruise control, emergency brake assist, lane departure warning,surround view, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, and otherautomotive and traffic applications. Further, the devices according tothe present invention can also be used for velocity and/or accelerationmeasurements, such as by analyzing a first and second time-derivative ofposition information gained by using the optical detector according tothe present invention. This feature generally may be applicable inautomotive technology, transportation technology or general traffictechnology. As an example, a specific application in an indoorpositioning system may be the detection of positioning of passengers intransportation, more specifically to electronically control the use ofsafety systems such as airbags. The use of an airbag may be prevented incase the passenger is located as such, that the use of an airbag willcause a severe injury. Applications in other fields of technology arefeasible. For use in automotive systems, devices according to thepresent invention may be connected to one or more electronic controlunits of the vehicle and may enable further connections via controllerarea networks and the like. For testing purposes in automotive or othercomplex applications, especially for use in combination with furthersensors and/or actuators, the integration in hardware-in-the-loopsimulation systems is possible.

In these or other applications, generally, the devices according to thepresent invention may be used as standalone devices or in combinationwith other sensor devices, such as in combination with radar and/orultrasonic devices. Specifically, the devices according to the presentinvention may be used for autonomous driving and safety issues. Further,in these applications, the devices according to the present inventionmay be used in combination with infrared sensors, radar sensors, whichare sonic sensors, two-dimensional cameras or other types of sensors. Inthese applications, the generally passive nature of the devicesaccording to the present invention is advantageous. Thus, since thedevices according to the present invention generally do not requireemitting signals, the risk of interference of active sensor signals withother signal sources may be avoided. The devices according to thepresent invention specifically may be used in combination withrecognition software, such as standard image recognition software. Thus,signals and data as provided by the devices according to the presentinvention typically are readily processable and, therefore, generallyrequire lower calculation power than established stereovision systemssuch as LIDAR. Given the low space demand, the devices according to thepresent invention such as cameras may be placed at virtually any placein a vehicle, such as on a window screen, on a front hood, on bumpers,on lights, on mirrors or other places and the like. Various opticaldetectors according to the present invention such as one or more opticaldetectors based on the effect disclosed within the present invention canbe combined, such as in order to allow autonomously driving vehicles orin order to increase the performance of active safety concepts. Thus,various devices according to the present invention may be combined withone or more other devices according to the present invention and/orconventional sensors, such as in the windows like rear window, sidewindow or front window, on the bumpers or on the lights.

A combination of at least one device according to the present inventionsuch as at least one optical detector according to the present inventionwith one or more rain detection sensors is also possible. This is due tothe fact that the devices according to the present invention generallyare advantageous over conventional sensor techniques such as radar,specifically during heavy rain. A combination of at least one deviceaccording to the present invention with at least one conventionalsensing technique such as radar may allow for a software to pick theright combination of signals according to the weather conditions.

Further, the devices according to the present invention generally may beused as break assist and/or parking assist and/or for speedmeasurements. Speed measurements can be integrated in the vehicle or maybe used outside the vehicle, such as in order to measure the speed ofother cars in traffic control. Further, the devices according to thepresent invention may be used for detecting free parking spaces inparking lots.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used inthe fields of medical systems and sports. Thus, in the field of medicaltechnology, surgery robotics, e.g. for use in endoscopes, may be named,since, as outlined above, the devices according to the present inventionmay require a low volume only and may be integrated into other devices.Specifically, the devices according to the present invention having onelens, at most, may be used for capturing 3D information in medicaldevices such as in endoscopes. Further, the devices according to thepresent invention may be combined with an appropriate monitoringsoftware, in order to enable tracking and analysis of movements. Theseapplications are specifically valuable e.g. in medical treatments andlong-distance diagnosis and tele-medicine. Further, applications forpositioning the body of patients in tomography or radiotherapy arepossible, or for measuring the body shape of patients before surgery, todetect diseases, or the like.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be appliedin the field of sports and exercising, such as for training, remoteinstructions or competition purposes. Specifically, the devicesaccording to the present invention may be applied in the fields ofdancing, aerobic, football, soccer, basketball, baseball, cricket,hockey, track and field, swimming, polo, handball, volleyball, rugby,sumo, judo, fencing, boxing etc. The devices according to the presentinvention can be used to detect the position of a ball, a bat, a sword,motions, etc., both in sports and in games, such as to monitor the game,support the referee or for judgment, specifically automatic judgment, ofspecific situations in sports, such as for judging whether a point or agoal actually was made.

The devices according to the present invention further may be used inrehabilitation and physiotherapy, in order to encourage training and/orin order to survey and correct movements. Therein, the devices accordingto the present invention may also be applied for distance diagnostics.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be appliedin the field of machine vision. Thus, one or more of the devicesaccording to the present invention may be used e.g. as a passivecontrolling unit for autonomous driving and or working of robots. Incombination with moving robots, the devices according to the presentinvention may allow for autonomous movement and/or autonomous detectionof failures in parts. The devices according to the present invention mayalso be used for manufacturing and safety surveillance, such as in orderto avoid accidents including but not limited to collisions betweenrobots, production parts and living beings. In robotics, the safe anddirect interaction of humans and robots is often an issue, as robots mayseverely injure humans when they are not recognized. Devices accordingto the present invention may help robots to position objects and humansbetter and faster and allow a safe interaction. Given the passive natureof the devices according to the present invention, the devices accordingto the present invention may be advantageous over active devices and/ormay be used complementary to existing solutions like radar, ultrasound,2D cameras, IR detection etc. One particular advantage of the devicesaccording to the present invention is the low likelihood of signalinterference. Therefore multiple sensors can work at the same time inthe same environment, without the risk of signal interference. Thus, thedevices according to the present invention generally may be useful inhighly automated production environments like e.g. but not limited toautomotive, mining, steel, etc. The devices according to the presentinvention can also be used for quality control in production, e.g. incombination with other sensors like 2-D imaging, radar, ultrasound, IRetc., such as for quality control or other purposes. Further, thedevices according to the present invention may be used for assessment ofsurface quality, such as for surveying the surface evenness of a productor the adherence to specified dimensions, from the range of micrometersto the range of meters. Other quality control applications are feasible.In a manufacturing environment, the devices according to the presentinvention are especially useful for processing natural products such asfood or wood, with a complex 3-dimensional structure to avoid largeamounts of waste material. Further, devices according to the presentinvention may be used in to monitor the filling level of tanks, silosetc.

Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used inthe polls, airplanes, ships, spacecraft and other traffic applications.Thus, besides the applications mentioned above in the context of trafficapplications, passive tracking systems for aircraft, vehicles and thelike may be named. The use of at least one device according to thepresent invention, such as at least one optical detector according tothe present invention, for monitoring the speed and/or the direction ofmoving objects is feasible. Specifically, the tracking of fast movingobjects on land, sea and in the air including space may be named. The atleast one device according to the present invention, such as the atleast one optical detector according to the present invention,specifically may be mounted on a still-standing and/or on a movingdevice. An output signal of the at least one device according to thepresent invention can be combined e.g. with a guiding mechanism forautonomous or guided movement of another object. Thus, applications foravoiding collisions or for enabling collisions between the tracked andthe steered object are feasible. The devices according to the presentinvention generally are useful and advantageous due to the lowcalculation power required, the instant response and due to the passivenature of the detection system which generally is more difficult todetect and to disturb as compared to active systems, like e.g. radar.The devices according to the present invention are particularly usefulbut not limited to e.g. speed control and air traffic control devices.

The devices according to the present invention generally may be used inpassive applications. Passive applications include guidance for ships inharbors or in dangerous areas, and for aircraft at landing or starting.Wherein, fixed, known active targets may be used for precise guidance.The same can be used for vehicles driving in dangerous but well definedroutes, such as mining vehicles.

Further, as outlined above, the devices according to the presentinvention may be used in the field of gaming. Thus, the devicesaccording to the present invention can be passive for use with multipleobjects of the same or of different size, color, shape, etc., such asfor movement detection in combination with software that incorporatesthe movement into its content. In particular, applications are feasiblein implementing movements into graphical output. Further, applicationsof the devices according to the present invention for giving commandsare feasible, such as by using one or more of the devices according tothe present invention for gesture or facial recognition. The devicesaccording to the present invention may be combined with an active systemin order to work under e.g. low light conditions or in other situationsin which enhancement of the surrounding conditions is required.Additionally or alternatively, a combination of one or more of thedevices according to the present invention with one or more IR or VISlight sources is possible. A combination of an optical detectoraccording to the present invention with special devices is alsopossible, which can be distinguished easily by the system and itssoftware, e.g. and not limited to, a special color, shape, relativeposition to other devices, speed of movement, light, frequency used tomodulate light sources on the device, surface properties, material used,reflection properties, transparency degree, absorption characteristics,etc. The device can, amongst other possibilities, resemble a stick, aracquet, a club, a gun, a knife, a wheel, a ring, a steering wheel, abottle, a ball, a glass, a vase, a spoon, a fork, a cube, a dice, afigure, a puppet, a teddy, a beaker, a pedal, a hat, a pair of glasses,a helmet, a switch, a glove, jewelry, a musical instrument or anauxiliary device for playing a musical instrument, such as a plectrum, adrumstick or the like. Other options are feasible.

Further, the devices according to the present invention generally may beused in the field of building, construction and cartography. Thus,generally, one or more devices according to the present invention may beused in order to measure and/or monitor environmental areas, e.g.countryside or buildings. Therein, one or more of the devices accordingto the present invention may be combined with other methods and devicesor can be used solely in order to monitor progress and accuracy ofbuilding projects, changing objects, houses, etc. the devices accordingto the present invention can be used for generating three-dimensionalmodels of scanned environments, in order to construct maps of rooms,streets, houses, communities or landscapes, both from ground or fromair. Potential fields of application may be construction, cartography,real estate management, land surveying or the like.

One or more devices according to the present invention can further beused for scanning of objects, such as in combination with CAD or similarsoftware, such as for additive manufacturing and/or 3D printing.Therein, use may be made of the high dimensional accuracy of the devicesaccording to the present invention, e.g. in x-, y- or z-direction or inany arbitrary combination of these directions, such as simultaneously.Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used ininspections and maintenance, such as pipeline inspection gauges.

As outlined above, the devices according to the present invention mayfurther be used in manufacturing, quality control or identificationapplications, such as in product identification or size identification(such as for finding an optimal place or package, for reducing wasteetc.). Further, the devices according to the present invention may beused in logisitics applications. Thus, the devices according to thepresent invention may be used for optimized loading or packingcontainers or vehicles. Further, the devices according to the presentinvention may be used for monitoring or controlling of surface damagesin the field of manufacturing, for monitoring or controlling rentalobjects such as rental vehicles, and/or for insurance applications, suchas for assessment of damages. Further, the devices according to thepresent invention may be used for identifying a size of material, objector tools, such as for optimal material handling, especially incombination with robots and/or for ensuring quality or accuracy in amanufacturing process, such as the accuracy of product size or volume orthe optical precision of a manufactured lens. Further, the devicesaccording to the present invention may be used for process control inproduction, e.g. for observing filling level of tanks. Further, thedevices according to the present invention may be used for maintenanceof production assets like, but not limited to, tanks, pipes, reactors,tools etc. Further, the devices according to the present invention maybe used for analyzing 3D-quality marks. Further, the devices accordingto the present invention may be used in manufacturing tailor-made goodssuch as tooth inlays, dental braces, prosthesis, clothes or the like.The devices according to the present invention may also be combined withone or more 3D-printers for rapid prototyping, 3D-copying or the like.Further, the devices according to the present invention may be used fordetecting the shape of one or more articles, such as for anti-productpiracy and for anti-counterfeiting purposes.

Preferred Embodiments of the Photosensitive Layer Setup

In the following, examples of the photosensitive layer setup,specifically with regard to materials which may be used within thisphotosensitive layer setup, are disclosed. As outlined above, thephotosensitive layer setup preferably is a photosensitive layer setup ofa solar cell, more preferably an organic solar cell and/or adye-sensitized solar cell (DSC), more preferably a solid dye-sensitizedsolar cell (sDSC). Other embodiments, however, are feasible.

As outlined above, preferably, the photosensitive layer setup comprisesat least one photovoltaic material, such as at least one photovoltaiclayer setup comprising at least two layers, sandwiched between the firstelectrode and the second electrode. Preferably, the photosensitive layersetup and the photovoltaic material comprise at least one layer of ann-semiconducting metal oxide, at least one dye and at least onep-semiconducting organic material. As an example, the photovoltaicmaterial may comprise a layer setup having at least one dense layer ofan n-semiconducting metal oxide such as titanium dioxide, at least onenano-porous layer of an n-semiconducting metal oxide contacting the denslayer of the n-semiconducting metal oxide, such as at least onenano-porous layer of titanium dioxide, at least one dye sensitizing thenano-porous layer of the n-semiconducting metal oxide, preferably anorganic dye, and at least one layer of at least one p-semiconductingorganic material, contacting the dye and/or the nano-porous layer of then-semiconducting metal oxide.

The dense layer of the n-semiconducting metal oxide, as will beexplained in further detail below, may form at least one barrier layerin between the first electrode and the at least one layer of thenano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide. It shall be noted, however,that other embodiments are feasible, such as embodiments having othertypes of buffer layers.

The first electrode may be one of an anode or a cathode, preferably ananode. The second electrode may be the other one of an anode or acathode, preferably a cathode. The first electrode preferably contactsthe at least one layer of the n-semiconducting metal oxide, and thesecond electrode preferably contacts the at least one layer of thep-semiconducting organic material. The first electrode may be a bottomelectrode, contacting a substrate, and the second electrode may be a topelectrode facing away from the substrate. Alternatively, the secondelectrode may be a bottom electrode, contacting the substrate, and thefirst electrode may be the top electrode facing away from the substrate.Preferably, one or both of the first electrode and the second electrodeare transparent.

In the following, some options regarding the first electrode, the secondelectrode and the photovoltaic material, preferably the layer setupcomprising two or more photovoltaic materials, will be disclosed. Itshall be noted, however, that other embodiments are feasible.

a) Substrate, First Electrode and n-Semiconductive Metal Oxide

Generally, for preferred embodiments of the first electrode and then-semiconductive metal oxide, reference may be made to WO 2012/110924A1, U.S. provisional application No. 61/739,173 or U.S. provisionalapplication No. 61/708,058, the full content of all of which is herewithincluded by reference. Other embodiments are feasible.

In the following, it shall be assumed that the first electrode is thebottom electrode directly or indirectly contacting the substrate. Itshall be noted, however, that other setups are feasible, with the firstelectrode being the top electrode.

The n-semiconductive metal oxide which may be used in the photosensitivelayer setup, such as in at least one dense film (also referred to as asolid film) of the n-semiconductive metal oxide and/or in at least onenano-porous film (also referred to as a nano-particulate film) of then-semiconductive metal oxide, may be a single metal oxide or a mixtureof different oxides. It is also possible to use mixed oxides. Then-semiconductive metal oxide may especially be porous and/or be used inthe form of a nanoparticulate oxide, nanoparticles in this context beingunderstood to mean particles which have an average particle size of lessthan 0.1 micrometer. A nanoparticulate oxide is typically applied to aconductive substrate (i.e. a carrier with a conductive layer as thefirst electrode) by a sintering process as a thin porous film with largesurface area.

Preferably, the optical sensor uses at least one transparent substrate.However, setups using one or more intransparent substrates are feasible.

The substrate may be rigid or else flexible. Suitable substrates (alsoreferred to hereinafter as carriers) are, as well as metal foils, inparticular plastic sheets or films and especially glass sheets or glassfilms. Particularly suitable electrode materials, especially for thefirst electrode according to the above-described, preferred structure,are conductive materials, for example transparent conductive oxides(TCOs), for example fluorine- and/or indium-doped tin oxide (FTO or ITO)and/or aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), carbon nanotubes or metal films.Alternatively or additionally, it would, however, also be possible touse thin metal films which still have a sufficient transparency. In casean intransparent first electrode is desired and used, thick metal filmsmay be used.

The substrate can be covered or coated with these conductive materials.Since generally, only a single substrate is required in the structureproposed, the formation of flexible cells is also possible. This enablesa multitude of end uses which would be achievable only with difficulty,if at all, with rigid substrates, for example use in bank cards,garments, etc.

The first electrode, especially the TCO layer, may additionally becovered or coated with a solid or dense metal oxide buffer layer (forexample of thickness 10 to 200 nm), in order to prevent direct contactof the p-type semiconductor with the TCO layer (see Peng et al., Coord.Chem. Rev. 248, 1479 (2004)). The use of solid p-semiconductingelectrolytes, in the case of which contact of the electrolyte with thefirst electrode is greatly reduced compared to liquid or gel-formelectrolytes, however, makes this buffer layer unnecessary in manycases, such that it is possible in many cases to dispense with thislayer, which also has a current-limiting effect and can also worsen thecontact of the n-semiconducting metal oxide with the first electrode.This enhances the efficiency of the components. On the other hand, sucha buffer layer can in turn be utilized in a controlled manner in orderto match the current component of the dye solar cell to the currentcomponent of the organic solar cell. In addition, in the case of cellsin which the buffer layer has been dispensed with, especially in solidcells, problems frequently occur with unwanted recombinations of chargecarriers. In this respect, buffer layers are advantageous in many casesspecifically in solid cells.

As is well known, thin layers or films of metal oxides are generallyinexpensive solid semiconductor materials (n-type semiconductors), butthe absorption thereof, due to large bandgaps, is typically not withinthe visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, but rather usuallyin the ultraviolet spectral region. For use in solar cells, the metaloxides therefore generally, as is the case in the dye solar cells, haveto be combined with a dye as a photosensitizer, which absorbs in thewavelength range of sunlight, i.e. at 300 to 2000 nm, and, in theelectronically excited state, injects electrons into the conduction bandof the semiconductor. With the aid of a solid p-type semiconductor usedadditionally in the cell as an electrolyte, which is in turn reduced atthe counter electrode, electrons can be recycled to the sensitizer, suchthat it is regenerated.

Of particular interest for use in organic solar cells are thesemiconductors zinc oxide, tin dioxide, titanium dioxide or mixtures ofthese metal oxides. The metal oxides can be used in the form ofnanocrystalline porous layers. These layers have a large surface areawhich is coated with the dye as a sensitizer, such that a highabsorption of sunlight is achieved. Metal oxide layers which arestructured, for example nanorods, give advantages such as higherelectron mobilities or improved pore filling by the dye.

The metal oxide semiconductors can be used alone or in the form ofmixtures. It is also possible to coat a metal oxide with one or moreother metal oxides. In addition, the metal oxides may also be applied asa coating to another semiconductor, for example GaP, ZnP or ZnS.

Particularly preferred semiconductors are zinc oxide and titaniumdioxide in the anatase polymorph, which is preferably used innanocrystalline form.

In addition, the sensitizers can advantageously be combined with alln-type semiconductors which typically find use in these solar cells.Preferred examples include metal oxides used in ceramics, such astitanium dioxide, zinc oxide, tin(IV) oxide, tungsten(VI) oxide,tantalum(V) oxide, niobium(V) oxide, cesium oxide, strontium titanate,zinc stannate, complex oxides of the perovskite type, for example bariumtitanate, and binary and ternary iron oxides, which may also be presentin nanocrystalline or amorphous form.

Due to the strong absorption that customary organic dyes and ruthenium,phthalocyanines and porphyrins have, even thin layers or films of then-semiconducting metal oxide are sufficient to absorb the requiredamount of dye. Thin metal oxide films in turn have the advantage thatthe probability of unwanted recombination processes falls and that theinternal resistance of the dye subcell is reduced. For then-semiconducting metal oxide, it is possible with preference to uselayer thicknesses of 100 nm up to 20 micrometers, more preferably in therange between 500 nm and approx. 3 micrometers.

b) Dye

In the context of the present invention, as usual in particular forDSCs, the terms “dye”, “sensitizer dye” and “sensitizer” are usedessentially synonymously without any restriction of possibleconfigurations. Numerous dyes which are usable in the context of thepresent invention are known from the prior art, and so, for possiblematerial examples, reference may also be made to the above descriptionof the prior art regarding dye solar cells. As a preferred example, oneor more of the dyes disclosed in WO 2012/110924 A1, U.S. provisionalapplication No. 61/739,173 or U.S. provisional application No.61/708,058 may be used, the full content of all of which is herewithincluded by reference. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of thedyes as disclosed in WO 2007/054470 A1 and/or WO 2012/085803 A1 may beused, the full content of which is included by reference, too.

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on titanium dioxide as a semiconductormaterial are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,721, Nature353, p. 737-740 (1991) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,644, and also Nature 395,p. 583-585 (1998) and EP-A-1 176 646. The dyes described in thesedocuments can in principle also be used advantageously in the context ofthe present invention. These dye solar cells preferably comprisemonomolecular films of transition metal complexes, especially rutheniumcomplexes, which are bonded to the titanium dioxide layer via acidgroups as sensitizers.

Many sensitizers which have been proposed include metal-free organicdyes, which are likewise also usable in the context of the presentinvention. High efficiencies of more than 4%, especially in solid dyesolar cells, can be achieved, for example, with indoline dyes (see, forexample, Schmidt-Mende et al., Adv. Mater. 2005, 17, 813). U.S. Pat. No.6,359,211 describes the use, also implementable in the context of thepresent invention, of cyanine, oxazine, thiazine and acridine dyes whichhave carboxyl groups bonded via an alkylene radical for fixing to thetitanium dioxide semiconductor.

Particularly preferred sensitizer dyes in the dye solar cell proposedare the perylene derivatives, terrylene derivatives and quaterrylenederivatives described in DE 10 2005 053 995 A1 or WO 2007/054470 A1.Further, as outlined above, one or more of the dyes as disclosed in WO2012/085803 A1 may be used. The use of these dyes, which is alsopossible in the context of the present invention, leads to photovoltaicelements with high efficiencies and simultaneously high stabilities.

The rylenes exhibit strong absorption in the wavelength range ofsunlight and can, depending on the length of the conjugated system,cover a range from about 400 nm (perylene derivatives I from DE 10 2005053 995 A1) up to about 900 nm (quaterrylene derivatives I from DE 102005 053 995 A1). Rylene derivatives I based on terrylene absorb,according to the composition thereof, in the solid state adsorbed ontotitanium dioxide, within a range from about 400 to 800 nm. In order toachieve very substantial utilization of the incident sunlight from thevisible into the near infrared region, it is advantageous to usemixtures of different rylene derivatives I. Occasionally, it may also beadvisable also to use different rylene homologs.

The rylene derivatives I can be fixed easily and in a permanent mannerto the n-semiconducting metal oxide film. The bonding is effected viathe anhydride function (x1) or the carboxyl groups —COOH or —COO— formedin situ, or via the acid groups A present in the imide or condensateradicals ((x2) or (x3)). The rylene derivatives I described in DE 102005 053 995 A1 have good suitability for use in dye-sensitized solarcells in the context of the present invention.

It is particularly preferred when the dyes, at one end of the molecule,have an anchor group which enables the fixing thereof to the n-typesemiconductor film. At the other end of the molecule, the dyespreferably comprise electron donors Y which facilitate the regenerationof the dye after the electron release to the n-type semiconductor, andalso prevent recombination with electrons already released to thesemiconductor.

For further details regarding the possible selection of a suitable dye,it is possible, for example, again to refer to DE 10 2005 053 995 A1. Byway of example, it is possible especially to use ruthenium complexes,porphyrins, other organic sensitizers, and preferably rylenes.

The dyes can be fixed onto or into the n-semiconducting metal oxidefilm, such as the nano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide layer, in asimple manner. For example, the n-semiconducting metal oxide films canbe contacted in the freshly sintered (still warm) state over asufficient period (for example about 0.5 to 24 h) with a solution orsuspension of the dye in a suitable organic solvent. This can beaccomplished, for example, by immersing the metal oxide-coated substrateinto the solution of the dye.

If combinations of different dyes are to be used, they may, for example,be applied successively from one or more solutions or suspensions whichcomprise one or more of the dyes. It is also possible to use two dyeswhich are separated by a layer of, for example, CuSCN (on this subjectsee, for example, Tennakone, K. J., Phys. Chem. B. 2003, 107, 13758).The most convenient method can be determined comparatively easily in theindividual case.

In the selection of the dye and of the size of the oxide particles ofthe n-semiconducting metal oxide, the organic solar cell should beconfigured such that a maximum amount of light is absorbed. The oxidelayers should be structured such that the solid p-type semiconductor canefficiently fill the pores. For instance, smaller particles have greatersurface areas and are therefore capable of adsorbing a greater amount ofdyes. On the other hand, larger particles generally have larger poreswhich enable better penetration through the p-conductor.

c) p-Semiconducting Organic Material

As described above, the at least one photosensitive layer setup, such asthe photosensitive layer setup of the DSC or sDSC, can comprise inparticular at least one p-semiconducting organic material, preferably atleast one solid p-semiconducting material, which is also designatedhereinafter as p-type semiconductor or p-type conductor. Hereinafter, adescription is given of a series of preferred examples of such organicp-type semiconductors which can be used individually or else in anydesired combination, for example in a combination of a plurality oflayers with a respective p-type semiconductor, and/or in a combinationof a plurality of p-type semiconductors in one layer.

In order to prevent recombination of the electrons in then-semiconducting metal oxide with the solid p-conductor, it is possibleto use, between the n-semiconducting metal oxide and the p-typesemiconductor, at least one passivating layer which has a passivatingmaterial. This layer should be very thin and should as far as possiblecover only the as yet uncovered sites of the n-semiconducting metaloxide. The passivation material may, under some circumstances, also beapplied to the metal oxide before the dye. Preferred passivationmaterials are especially one or more of the following substances: Al₂O₃;silanes, for example CH₃SiCl₃; Al³⁺; 4-tert-butylpyridine (TBP); MgO;GBA (4-guanidinobutyric acid) and similar derivatives; alkyl acids;hexadecylmalonic acid (HDMA).

As described above, preferably one or more solid organic p-typesemiconductors are used —alone or else in combination with one or morefurther p-type semiconductors which are organic or inorganic in nature.In the context of the present invention, a p-type semiconductor isgenerally understood to mean a material, especially an organic material,which is capable of conducting holes, that is to say positive chargecarriers. More particularly, it may be an organic material with anextensive π-electron system which can be oxidized stably at least once,for example to form what is called a free-radical cation. For example,the p-type semiconductor may comprise at least one organic matrixmaterial which has the properties mentioned. Furthermore, the p-typesemiconductor can optionally comprise one or a plurality of dopantswhich intensify the p-semiconducting properties. A significant parameterinfluencing the selection of the p-type semiconductor is the holemobility, since this partly determines the hole diffusion length (cf.Kumara, G., Langmuir, 2002, 18, 10493-10495). A comparison of chargecarrier mobilities in different Spiro compounds can be found, forexample, in T. Saragi, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2006, 16, 966-974.

Preferably, in the context of the present invention, organicsemiconductors are used (i.e. one or more of low molecular weight,oligomeric or polymeric semiconductors or mixtures of suchsemiconductors). Particular preference is given to p-type semiconductorswhich can be processed from a liquid phase. Examples here are p-typesemiconductors based on polymers such as polythiophene andpolyarylamines, or on amorphous, reversibly oxidizable, nonpolymericorganic compounds, such as the spirobifluorenes mentioned at the outset(cf., for example, US 2006/0049397 and the spiro compounds disclosedtherein as p-type semiconductors, which are also usable in the contextof the present invention). Preference is also given to using lowmolecular weight organic semiconductors, such as the low molecularweight p-type semiconducting materials as disclosed in WO 2012/110924A1, preferably spiro-MeOTAD, and/or one or more of the p-typesemiconducting materials disclosed in Leijtens et al., ACS Nano, VOL. 6,NO. 2, 1455-1462 (2012). In addition, reference may also be made to theremarks regarding the p-semiconducting materials and dopants from theabove description of the prior art.

The p-type semiconductor is preferably producible or produced byapplying at least one p-conducting organic material to at least onecarrier element, wherein the application is effected for example bydeposition from a liquid phase comprising the at least one p-conductingorganic material. The deposition can in this case once again beeffected, in principle, by any desired deposition process, for exampleby spin-coating, doctor blading, knife-coating, printing or combinationsof the stated and/or other deposition methods.

The organic p-type semiconductor may especially comprise at least onespiro compound such as spiro-MeOTAD and/or at least one compound withthe structural formula:

in whichA¹, A², A³ are each independently optionally substituted aryl groups orheteroaryl groups,R¹, R², R³ are each independently selected from the group consisting ofthe substituents —R, —OR, —NR₂, -A⁴-OR and -A⁴-NR₂,where R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl andheteroaryl,andwhere A⁴ is an aryl group or heteroaryl group, andwhere n at each instance in formula I is independently a value of 0, 1,2 or 3,with the proviso that the sum of the individual n values is at least 2and at least two of the R¹, R² and R³ radicals are —OR and/or —NR₂.

Preferably, A² and A³ are the same; accordingly, the compound of theformula (I) preferably has the following structure (Ia)

More particularly, as explained above, the p-type semiconductor may thushave at least one low molecular weight organic p-type semiconductor. Alow molecular weight material is generally understood to mean a materialwhich is present in monomeric, nonpolymerized or nonoligomerized form.The term “low molecular weight” as used in the present contextpreferably means that the p-type semiconductor has molecular weights inthe range from 100 to 25 000 g/mol. Preferably, the low molecular weightsubstances have molecular weights of 500 to 2000 g/mol.

In general, in the context of the present invention, p-semiconductingproperties are understood to mean the property of materials, especiallyof organic molecules, to form holes and to transport these holes and/orto pass them on to adjacent molecules. More particularly, stableoxidation of these molecules should be possible. In addition, the lowmolecular weight organic p-type semiconductors mentioned may especiallyhave an extensive π-electron system. More particularly, the at least onelow molecular weight p-type semiconductor may be processable from asolution. The low molecular weight p-type semiconductor may especiallycomprise at least one triphenylamine. It is particularly preferred whenthe low molecular weight organic p-type semiconductor comprises at leastone spiro compound. A Spiro compound is understood to mean polycyclicorganic compounds whose rings are joined only at one atom, which is alsoreferred to as the spiro atom. More particularly, the spiro atom may bespa-hybridized, such that the constituents of the spiro compoundconnected to one another via the spiro atom are, for example, arrangedin different planes with respect to one another.

More preferably, the spiro compound has a structure of the followingformula:

where the aryl¹, aryl², aryl³, aryl⁴, aryl⁵, aryl⁶, aryl⁷ and aryl⁸radicals are each independently selected from substituted aryl radicalsand heteroaryl radicals, especially from substituted phenyl radicals,where the aryl radicals and heteroaryl radicals, preferably the phenylradicals, are each independently substituted, preferably in each case byone or more substituents selected from the group consisting of —O-alkyl,—OH, —F, —Cl, —Br and —I, where alkyl is preferably methyl, ethyl,propyl or isopropyl. More preferably, the phenyl radicals are eachindependently substituted, in each case by one or more substituentsselected from the group consisting of —O—Me, —OH, —F, —Cl, —Br and —I.

Further preferably, the spiro compound is a compound of the followingformula:

where R^(r), R^(s), R^(t), R^(u), R^(v), R^(w), R^(x) and R^(y) are eachindependently selected from the group consisting of —O-alkyl, —OH, —F,—Cl, —Br and —I, where alkyl is preferably methyl, ethyl, propyl orisopropyl. More preferably, R^(r), R^(s), R^(t), R^(u), R^(v), R^(w),R^(x) and R^(y) are each independently selected from the groupconsisting of —O—Me, —OH, —F, —Cl, —Br and —I.

More particularly, the p-type semiconductor may comprise spiro-MeOTAD orconsist of spiro-MeOTAD, i.e. a compound of the formula below,commercially available from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany:

Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to use otherp-semiconducting compounds, especially low molecular weight and/oroligomeric and/or polymeric p-semiconducting compounds.

In an alternative embodiment, the low molecular weight organic p-typesemiconductor comprises one or more compounds of the above-mentionedgeneral formula I, for which reference may be made, for example, to PCTapplication number PCT/EP2010/051826. The p-type semiconductor maycomprise the at least one compound of the above-mentioned generalformula I additionally or alternatively to the Spiro compound describedabove.

The term “alkyl” or “alkyl group” or “alkyl radical” as used in thecontext of the present invention is understood to mean substituted orunsubstituted C₁-C₂₀-alkyl radicals in general. Preference is given toC₁- to C₁₀-alkyl radicals, particular preference to C₁- to C₈-alkylradicals. The alkyl radicals may be either straight-chain or branched.In addition, the alkyl radicals may be substituted by one or moresubstituents selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₂₀-alkoxy,halogen, preferably F, and C₆-C₃₀-aryl which may in turn be substitutedor unsubstituted. Examples of suitable alkyl groups are methyl, ethyl,propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl and octyl, and also isopropyl,isobutyl, isopentyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, neopentyl,3,3-dimethylbutyl, 2-ethylhexyl, and also derivatives of the alkylgroups mentioned substituted by C₆-C₃₀-aryl, C₁-C₂₀-alkoxy and/orhalogen, especially F, for example CF₃.

The term “aryl” or “aryl group” or “aryl radical” as used in the contextof the present invention is understood to mean optionally substitutedC₆-C₃₀-aryl radicals which are derived from monocyclic, bicyclic,tricyclic or else multicyclic aromatic rings, where the aromatic ringsdo not comprise any ring heteroatoms. The aryl radical preferablycomprises 5- and/or 6-membered aromatic rings. When the aryls are notmonocyclic systems, in the case of the term “aryl” for the second ring,the saturated form (perhydro form) or the partly unsaturated form (forexample the dihydro form or tetrahydro form), provided the particularforms are known and stable, is also possible. The term “aryl” in thecontext of the present invention thus comprises, for example, alsobicyclic or tricyclic radicals in which either both or all threeradicals are aromatic, and also bicyclic or tricyclic radicals in whichonly one ring is aromatic, and also tricyclic radicals in which tworings are aromatic. Examples of aryl are: phenyl, naphthyl, indanyl,1,2-dihydronaphthenyl, 1,4-dihydronaphthenyl, fluorenyl, indenyl,anthracenyl, phenanthrenyl or 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthyl. Particularpreference is given to C₆-C₁₀-aryl radicals, for example phenyl ornaphthyl, very particular preference to C₆-aryl radicals, for examplephenyl. In addition, the term “aryl” also comprises ring systemscomprising at least two monocyclic, bicyclic or multicyclic aromaticrings joined to one another via single or double bonds. One example isthat of biphenyl groups.

The term “heteroaryl” or “heteroaryl group” or “heteroaryl radical” asused in the context of the present invention is understood to meanoptionally substituted 5- or 6-membered aromatic rings and multicyclicrings, for example bicyclic and tricyclic compounds having at least oneheteroatom in at least one ring. The heteroaryls in the context of theinvention preferably comprise 5 to 30 ring atoms. They may bemonocyclic, bicyclic or tricyclic, and some can be derived from theaforementioned aryl by replacing at least one carbon atom in the arylbase skeleton with a heteroatom. Preferred heteroatoms are N, O and S.The hetaryl radicals more preferably have 5 to 13 ring atoms. The baseskeleton of the heteroaryl radicals is especially preferably selectedfrom systems such as pyridine and five-membered heteroaromatics such asthiophene, pyrrole, imidazole or furan. These base skeletons mayoptionally be fused to one or two six-membered aromatic radicals. Inaddition, the term “heteroaryl” also comprises ring systems comprisingat least two monocyclic, bicyclic or multicyclic aromatic rings joinedto one another via single or double bonds, where at least one ringcomprises a heteroatom. When the heteroaryls are not monocyclic systems,in the case of the term “heteroaryl” for at least one ring, thesaturated form (perhydro form) or the partly unsaturated form (forexample the dihydro form or tetrahydro form), provided the particularforms are known and stable, is also possible. The term “heteroaryl” inthe context of the present invention thus comprises, for example, alsobicyclic or tricyclic radicals in which either both or all threeradicals are aromatic, and also bicyclic or tricyclic radicals in whichonly one ring is aromatic, and also tricyclic radicals in which tworings are aromatic, where at least one of the rings, i.e. at least onearomatic or one nonaromatic ring has a heteroatom. Suitable fusedheteroaromatics are, for example, carbazolyl, benzimidazolyl,benzofuryl, dibenzofuryl or dibenzothiophenyl. The base skeleton may besubstituted at one, more than one or all substitutable positions,suitable substituents being the same as have already been specifiedunder the definition of C₆-C₃₀-aryl. However, the hetaryl radicals arepreferably unsubstituted. Suitable hetaryl radicals are, for example,pyridin-2-yl, pyridin-3-yl, pyridin-4-yl, thiophen-2-yl, thiophen-3-yl,pyrrol-2-yl, pyrrol-3-yl, furan-2-yl, furan-3-yl and imidazol-2-yl andthe corresponding benzofused radicals, especially carbazolyl,benzimidazolyl, benzofuryl, dibenzofuryl or dibenzothiophenyl.

In the context of the invention, the term “optionally substituted”refers to radicals in which at least one hydrogen radical of an alkylgroup, aryl group or heteroaryl group has been replaced by asubstituent. With regard to the type of this substituent, preference isgiven to alkyl radicals, for example methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl,pentyl, hexyl, heptyl and octyl, and also isopropyl, isobutyl,isopentyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, neopentyl, 3,3-dimethylbutyl and2-ethylhexyl, aryl radicals, for example C₆-C₁₀-aryl radicals,especially phenyl or naphthyl, most preferably C₆-aryl radicals, forexample phenyl, and hetaryl radicals, for example pyridin-2-yl,pyridin-3-yl, pyridin-4-yl, thiophen-2-yl, thiophen-3-yl, pyrrol-2-yl,pyrrol-3-yl, furan-2-yl, furan-3-yl and imidazol-2-yl, and also thecorresponding benzofused radicals, especially carbazolyl,benzimidazolyl, benzofuryl, dibenzofuryl or dibenzothiophenyl. Furtherexamples include the following substituents: alkenyl, alkynyl, halogen,hydroxyl.

The degree of substitution here may vary from monosubstitution up to themaximum number of possible substituents.

Preferred compounds of the formula I for use in accordance with theinvention are notable in that at least two of the R¹, R² and R³ radicalsare para-OR and/or —NR₂ substituents. The at least two radicals here maybe only —OR radicals, only —NR₂ radicals, or at least one —OR and atleast one —NR₂ radical.

Particularly preferred compounds of the formula I for use in accordancewith the invention are notable in that at least four of the R¹, R² andR³ radicals are para-OR and/or —NR₂ substituents.

The at least four radicals here may be only —OR radicals, only —NR₂radicals or a mixture of —OR and —NR₂ radicals.

Very particularly preferred compounds of the formula I for use inaccordance with the invention are notable in that all of the R¹, R² andR³ radicals are para-OR and/or —NR₂ substituents. They may be only —ORradicals, only —NR₂ radicals or a mixture of —OR and —NR₂ radicals.

In all cases, the two R in the —NR₂ radicals may be different from oneanother, but they are preferably the same.

Preferably, A¹, A² and A³ are each independently selected from the groupconsisting of

in which

-   m is an integer from 1 to 18,-   R⁴ is alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl, where R⁴ is preferably an aryl    radical, more preferably a phenyl radical,-   R⁵, R⁶ are each independently H, alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl,    where the aromatic and heteroaromatic rings of the structures shown    may optionally have further substitution. The degree of substitution    of the aromatic and heteroaromatic rings here may vary from    monosubstitution up to the maximum number of possible substituents.

Preferred substituents in the case of further substitution of thearomatic and heteroaromatic rings include the substituents alreadymentioned above for the one, two or three optionally substitutedaromatic or heteroaromatic groups.

Preferably, the aromatic and heteroaromatic rings of the structuresshown do not have further substitution.

More preferably, A¹, A² and A³ are each independently

more preferably

More preferably, the at least one compound of the formula (I) has one ofthe following structures

In an alternative embodiment, the organic p-type semiconductor comprisesa compound of the type ID322 having the following structure:

The compounds for use in accordance with the invention can be preparedby customary methods of organic synthesis known to those skilled in theart. References to relevant (patent) literature can additionally befound in the synthesis examples adduced below.

d) Second Electrode

The second electrode may be a bottom electrode facing the substrate orelse a top electrode facing away from the substrate. As outlined above,the second electrode may be fully or partially transparent or, else, maybe intransparent. As used herein, the term partially transparent refersto the fact that the second electrode may comprise transparent regionsand intransparent regions.

One or more materials of the following group of materials may be used:at least one metallic material, preferably a metallic material selectedfrom the group consisting of aluminum, silver, platinum, gold; at leastone nonmetallic inorganic material, preferably LiF; at least one organicconductive material, preferably at least one electrically conductivepolymer and, more preferably, at least one transparent electricallyconductive polymer.

The second electrode may comprise at least one metal electrode, whereinone or more metals in pure form or as a mixture/alloy, such asespecially aluminum or silver may be used.

Additionally or alternatively, nonmetallic materials may be used, suchas inorganic materials and/or organic materials, both alone and incombination with metal electrodes. As an example, the use ofinorganic/organic mixed electrodes or multilayer electrodes is possible,for example the use of LiF/Al electrodes. Additionally or alternatively,conductive polymers may be used. Thus, the second electrode of theoptical sensor preferably may comprise one or more conductive polymers.

Thus, as an example, the second electrode may comprise one or moreelectrically conductive polymers, in combination with one or more layersof a metal. Preferably, the at least one electrically conductive polymeris a transparent electrically conductive polymer. This combinationallows for providing very thin and, thus, transparent metal layers, bystill providing sufficient electrical conductivity in order to renderthe second electrode both transparent and highly electricallyconductive. Thus, as an example, the one or more metal layers, each orin combination, may have a thickness of less than 50 nm, preferably lessthan 40 nm or even less than 30 nm.

As an example, one or more electrically conductive polymers may be used,selected from the group consisting of: polyanaline (PANI) and/or itschemical relatives; a polythiophene and/or its chemical relatives, suchas poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and/or PEDOT:PSS(poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate)). Additionallyor alternatively, one or more of the conductive polymers as disclosed inEP2507286 A2, EP2205657 A1 or EP2220141 A1. For further exemplaryembodiments, reference may be made to U.S. provisional application No.61/739,173 or U.S. provisional application No. 61/708,058, the fullcontent of all of which is herewith included by reference.

In addition or alternatively, inorganic conductive materials may beused, such as inorganic conductive carbon materials, such as carbonmaterials selected from the group consisting of: graphite, graphene,carbon nano-tubes, carbon nano-wires.

In addition, it is also possible to use electrode designs in which thequantum efficiency of the components is increased by virtue of thephotons being forced, by means of appropriate reflections, to passthrough the absorbing layers at least twice. Such layer structures arealso referred to as “concentrators” and are likewise described, forexample, in WO 02/101838 (especially pages 23-24).

Summarizing the findings of the present invention, the followingembodiments are preferred:

Embodiment 1

An optical detector, comprising:

-   -   an optical sensor, having a substrate and at least one        photosensitive layer setup disposed thereon, the photosensitive        layer setup having at least one first electrode, at least one        second electrode and at least one photovoltaic material        sandwiched in between the first electrode and the second        electrode, wherein the photovoltaic material comprises at least        one organic material, wherein the first electrode comprises a        plurality of first electrode stripes and wherein the second        electrode comprises a plurality of second electrode stripes,        wherein the first electrode stripes and the second electrode        stripes intersect such that a matrix of pixels is formed at        intersections of the first electrode stripes and the second        electrode stripes; and    -   at least one readout device, the readout device comprising a        plurality of electrical measurement devices being connected to        the second electrode stripes and a switching device for        subsequently connecting the first electrode stripes to the        electrical measurement devices.

Embodiment 2

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein theoptical detector further comprises at least one optical element foroptically imaging at least one object onto the optical sensor.

Embodiment 3

The optical sensor according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the atleast one optical element comprises at least one lens.

Embodiment 4

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the matrix of pixels has rows defined by the first electrodestripes and columns defined by the second electrode stripes, whereineach electrical measurement device is connected to a column, such thatelectrical signals for the pixels of each row may be measuredsimultaneously.

Embodiment 5

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein theswitching device is adapted to subsequently connect the rows to theelectrical measurement devices.

Embodiment 6

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the switching device is adapted to perform a multiplexingmeasurement scheme, wherein, in the multiplexing measurement scheme, thefirst electrode stripes are iteratively connected to the electricalmeasurement devices.

Embodiment 7

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the electrical measurement devices each comprise at least one ofa current measurement device and a voltage measurement device.

Embodiment 8

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the electrical measurement devices are analogue measurementdevices.

Embodiment 9

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein theelectrical measurement devices further comprise analogue-digitalconverters.

Embodiment 10

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the readout device further comprises at least one data memoryfor storing measurement values for the pixels of the matrix of pixels.

Embodiment 11

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a bottomelectrode and wherein the other of the first electrode and the secondelectrode is a top electrode, wherein the bottom electrode is applied toa substrate, wherein the photovoltaic material is applied to the bottomelectrode and at least partially covers the bottom electrode and whereinthe top electrode is applied to the photovoltaic material.

Embodiment 12

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thesubstrate is a transparent substrate.

Embodiment 13

The optical detector according to any one of the two precedingembodiments, wherein at least one of the bottom electrode and the topelectrode is transparent.

Embodiment 14

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thebottom electrode is transparent.

Embodiment 15

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thebottom electrode comprises a transparent conductive oxide, preferably atransparent conductive oxide selected from the group consisting offluorine-doped tin oxide, indium-doped tin oxide and zinc oxide.

Embodiment 16

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the top electrode comprises a plurality of metal electrodestripes.

Embodiment 17

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein themetal electrode stripes are separated by electrically insulatingseparators.

Embodiment 18

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein theelectrically insulating separators are photoresist structures.

Embodiment 19

The optical detector according to any one of the two precedingembodiments, wherein the optical sensor comprises an n-semiconductingmetal oxide, preferably a nano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide,wherein the electrically insulating separators are deposited on top ofthe n-semiconducting metal oxide.

Embodiment 20

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein theoptical sensor further comprises at least one solid p-semiconductingorganic material deposited on top of the n-semiconducting metal oxide,the solid p-semiconducting organic material being sub-divided into aplurality of stripe-shaped regions by the electrically insulatingseparators.

Embodiment 21

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the top electrode is transparent.

Embodiment 22

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thetop electrode comprises at least one metal layer, the metal layerpreferably having a thickness of less than 50 nm, more preferably athickness of less than 40 nm, and most preferably a thickness of lessthan 30 nm.

Embodiment 23

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein themetal layer comprises at least one metal selected from the groupconsisting of: Ag, Al, Ag, Au, Pt, Cu; and/or one or more alloysselected from the group consisting of NiCr, AlNiCr, MoNb and AlNd.

Embodiment 24

The optical detector according to any one of the three precedingembodiments, wherein the top electrode further comprises at least oneelectrically conductive polymer embedded in between the photovoltaicmaterial and the metal layer.

Embodiment 25

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein theelectrically conductive polymer comprises at least one conjugatedpolymer.

Embodiment 26

The optical detector according to any one of the two precedingembodiments, wherein the electrically conductive polymer comprises atleast one polymer selected from the group consisting of: apoly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT), preferably PEDOT beingelectrically doped with at least one counter ion, more preferably PEDOTdoped with sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS); a polyaniline(PANI); a polythiophene.

Embodiment 27

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the optical detector comprises at least one encapsulationprotecting one or more of the photovoltaic material, the first electrodeor the second electrode at least partially from moisture.

Embodiment 28

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein each pixel forms an individual photovoltaic device, preferablyan organic photovoltaic device.

Embodiment 29

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein eachpixel forms a dye-sensitized solar cell, more preferably a soliddye-sensitized solar cell.

Embodiment 30

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the at least one optical sensor comprises at least one opticalsensor having at least one sensor region and being capable of providingat least one sensor signal, wherein the sensor signal, given the sametotal power of illumination of the sensor region by the light beam, isdependent on a geometry of the illumination, in particular on a beamcross section of the illumination of the sensor area.

Embodiment 31

The detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments, whereinthe at least one optical sensor comprises at least one stack of opticalsensors, each optical sensor having at least one sensor region and beingcapable of providing at least one sensor signal, wherein the sensorsignal, given the same total power of illumination of the sensor regionby the light beam, is dependent on a geometry of the illumination, inparticular on a beam cross section of the illumination on the sensorarea, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to compare at least onesensor signal generated by at least one pixel of a first one of theoptical sensors with at least one sensor signal generated by at leastone pixel of a second one of the optical sensors.

Embodiment 32

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the photovoltaic material comprises at least onen-semiconducting metal oxide, at least one dye, and at least one solidp-semiconducting material, preferably at least one p-semiconductingorganic material.

Embodiment 33

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein then-semiconducting metal oxide comprises at least one nano-porousn-semiconducting metal oxide.

Embodiment 34

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thenano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide is sensitized with at least oneorganic dye.

Embodiment 35

The optical detector according to any one of the two precedingembodiments, wherein the n-semiconducting metal oxide further comprisesat least one dense layer of the n-semiconducting metal oxide.

Embodiment 36

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the optical detector comprises a stack of at least two imagingdevices, wherein at least one of the imaging devices is the opticalsensor.

Embodiment 37

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thestack of imaging devices further comprises at least one additionalimaging device, preferably at least one additional imaging deviceselected from the group consisting of a CCD chip and a CMOS chip.

Embodiment 38

The optical detector according to any one of the two precedingembodiments, wherein the stack comprises at least two imaging deviceshaving differing spectral sensitivities.

Embodiment 39

The optical detector according to any one of the three precedingembodiments, wherein the stack comprises at least two optical sensors.

Embodiment 40

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thestack comprises optical sensors having differing spectral sensitivities.

Embodiment 41

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thestack comprises the optical sensors having differing spectralsensitivities in an alternating sequence.

Embodiment 42

The optical detector according to any one of the six precedingembodiments, wherein the optical detector is adapted to acquirethree-dimensional image by evaluating sensor signals of the opticalsensors.

Embodiment 43

The optical detector according to the preceding embodiment, wherein theoptical detector is adapted to acquire a multicolor three-dimensionalimage, preferably a full-color three-dimensional image, by evaluatingsensor signals of the optical sensors having differing spectralproperties.

Embodiment 44

The optical detector according to any one of the eight precedingembodiments, wherein the optical detector is adapted to acquire athree-dimensional image of a scene within a field of view of the opticaldetector.

Embodiment 45

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the detector further comprises at least one time-of-flightdetector adapted for detecting at least one distance between the atleast one object and the optical detector by performing at least onetime-of-flight measurement.

Embodiment 46

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the photosensitive layer setup comprises at least 3 firstelectrode stripes, preferably at least 10 first electrode stripes, morepreferably at least 30 first electrode stripes and most preferably atleast 50 first electrode stripes.

Embodiment 47

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the photosensitive layer setup comprises at least 3 secondelectrode stripes, preferably at least 10 second electrode stripes, morepreferably at least 30 second electrode stripes and most preferably atleast 50 second electrode stripes.

Embodiment 48

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the photosensitive layer setup comprises 3-1200 first electrodestripes and 3-1200 second electrode stripes, preferably 10-1000 firstelectrode stripes and 10-1000 second electrode stripes and morepreferably 50-500 first electrode stripes and 50-500 second electrodestripes.

Embodiment 49

The optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodiments,wherein the optical sensor is transparent.

Embodiment 50

A detector system for determining a position of at least one object, thedetector system comprising at least one optical detector according toany one of the preceding embodiments, the detector system furthercomprising at least one beacon device adapted to direct at least onelight beam towards the optical detector, wherein the beacon device is atleast one of attachable to the object, holdable by the object andintegratable into the object.

Embodiment 51

The detector system according to the preceding embodiment, wherein thebeacon device comprises at least one illumination source.

Embodiment 52

The detector system according to any one of the two precedingembodiments, wherein the beacon device comprises at least one reflectivedevice adapted to reflect a primary light beam generated by anillumination source independent from the object.

Embodiment 53

The detector system according to any one of the three precedingembodiments, wherein the detector system comprises at least two beacondevices, preferably at least three beacon devices.

Embodiment 54

The detector system according to any one of the four precedingembodiments, wherein the detector system further comprises the at leastone object.

Embodiment 55

The detector system according to the preceding embodiment, wherein theobject is a rigid object.

Embodiment 56

The detector system according to any one of the two precedingembodiments, wherein the object is selected from the group consistingof: an article of sports equipment, preferably an article selected fromthe group consisting of a racket, a club, a bat; an article of clothing;a hat; a shoe; a helmet; a pair of glasses.

Embodiment 57

A human-machine interface for exchanging at least one item ofinformation between a user and a machine, wherein the human-machineinterface comprises at least one detector system according to any one ofthe preceding embodiments referring to a detector system, wherein the atleast one beacon device is adapted to be at least one of directly orindirectly attached to the user and held by the user, wherein thehuman-machine interface is designed to determine at least one positionof the user by means of the detector system, wherein the human-machineinterface is designed to assign to the position at least one item ofinformation.

Embodiment 58

An entertainment device for carrying out at least one entertainmentfunction, wherein the entertainment device comprises at least onehuman-machine interface according to the preceding embodiment, whereinthe entertainment device is designed to enable at least one item ofinformation to be input by a player by means of the human-machineinterface, wherein the entertainment device is designed to vary theentertainment function in accordance with the information.

Embodiment 59

A tracking system for tracking a position of at least one movableobject, the tracking system comprising at least one detector systemaccording to any one of the preceding embodiments referring to adetector system, the tracking system further comprising at least onetrack controller, wherein the track controller is adapted to track aseries of positions of the object at specific points in time.

Embodiment 60

A camera for imaging at least one object, the camera comprising at leastone optical detector according to any one of the preceding embodimentsreferring to an optical detector.

Embodiment 61

A method for manufacturing an optical detector, the method comprisingthe following steps:

-   -   a) manufacturing an optical sensor, wherein a photosensitive        layer setup is deposited onto a substrate, the photosensitive        layer setup having at least one first electrode, at least one        second electrode and at least one photovoltaic material        sandwiched in between the first electrode and the second        electrode, wherein the photovoltaic material comprises at least        one organic material, wherein the first electrode comprises a        plurality of first electrode stripes and wherein the second        electrode comprises a plurality of second electrode stripes,        wherein the first electrode stripes and the second electrode        stripes intersect such that a matrix of pixels is formed at        intersections of the first electrode stripes and the second        electrode stripes; and    -   b) connecting at least one readout device to the optical sensor,        the readout device comprising a plurality of electrical        measurement devices being connected to the second electrode        stripes, the readout device further comprising at least one        switching device for subsequently connecting the first electrode        stripes to the electrical measurement devices.

Embodiment 62

The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein method step a)comprises the following sub-steps:

-   -   a1. providing the substrate;    -   a2. depositing at least one bottom electrode onto the substrate,        wherein the bottom electrode is one of the first electrode or        second electrode, wherein the bottom electrode comprises a        plurality of bottom electrode stripes;    -   a3. depositing the at least one photovoltaic material onto the        bottom electrode;    -   a4. depositing at least one top electrode onto the photovoltaic        material, wherein the top electrode is the other one of the        first electrode and the second electrode as compared to method        step a2., wherein the top electrode comprises a plurality of top        electrode stripes, wherein the top electrode stripes are        deposited such that the bottom electrode stripes and the top        electrode stripes intersect such that the matrix of pixels is        formed.

Embodiment 63

The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein method stepa2. comprises one of the following patterning techniques:

-   -   the bottom electrode is deposited in an unpatterned way and        subsequently patterned, preferably by using the lithography;    -   the bottom electrode is deposited in a patterned way, preferably        by using one or more of a deposition technique through a mask or        a printing technique.

Embodiment 64

The method according to any one of the two preceding embodiments,wherein method step a3. comprises:

-   -   depositing at least one layer of a dense n-semiconducting metal        oxide, preferably TiO₂;    -   depositing at least one layer of a nano-porous n-semiconducting        metal oxide, preferably at least one layer of nano-porous TiO₂;    -   sensitizing the at least one layer of the nano-porous        n-semiconducting metal oxide with at least one organic dye;    -   depositing at least one layer of a solid p-semiconducting        organic material.

Embodiment 65

The method according to any one of the three preceding embodiments,wherein method step a4 comprises one or more of the following:

-   -   depositing the top electrode onto the photovoltaic material in a        patterned way, preferably by using a deposition through a shadow        mask and/or a printing technique;    -   depositing the top electrode onto the photovoltaic material in        an unpatterned way, followed by at least one patterning step;    -   providing at least one separator on one or more of the substrate        or the photovoltaic material, followed by an unpatterned        deposition of the top electrode, wherein the top electrode is        sub-divided into the top electrode stripes by the separator.

Embodiment 66

The method according any of the three preceding embodiments, whereinmethod step a4. comprises depositing at least one electricallyconductive polymer on top of the photovoltaic material and depositing atleast one metal layer on top of the electrically conductive polymer.

Embodiment 65

The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the metallayer has a thickness of less than 50 nm, preferably a thickness of lessthan 40 nm, more preferably a thickness of less than 30 nm.

Embodiment 68

A method of taking at least one image of an object, the methodcomprising a use of the optical detector according to any one of thepreceding embodiments referring to an optical detector, the methodcomprising the following steps:

-   -   imaging the object onto the optical sensor,    -   subsequently connecting the first electrode stripes to the        electrical measurement devices, wherein the electrical        measurement devices, for each first electrode stripe, measure        electrical signals for the pixels of the respective first        electrode stripe,    -   composing the electrical signals of the pixels to form an image.

Embodiment 69

The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein electricalsignals of the pixels are stored within a data memory, the data memoryproviding an array of values representing the electrical signals.

Embodiment 70

The method according to any one of the two preceding embodiments,wherein the electrical signals comprise primary electrical signals in ananalogue format, the primary electrical signals being transformed intosecondary electrical signals being digital electrical signals by usinganalogue-digital converters.

Embodiment 71

The method according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the secondaryelectrical signals comprise gray-scale levels for each pixel.

Embodiment 72

A use of the optical detector according to any one of the precedingembodiments relating to an optical detector, for a purpose of use,selected from the group consisting of: a position measurement in traffictechnology; an entertainment application; a security application; asafety application; a human-machine interface application; a trackingapplication; a photography application; a use in combination with atleast one time-of-flight detector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further optional details and features of the invention are evident fromthe description of preferred exemplary embodiments which follows inconjunction with the dependent claims. In this context, the particularfeatures may be implemented alone or with several in combination.

The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments. Theexemplary embodiments are shown schematically in the figures. Identicalreference numerals in the individual figures refer to identical elementsor elements with identical function, or elements which correspond to oneanother with regard to their functions.

Specifically, in the figures:

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an optical detector having an opticalsensor and a readout device;

FIGS. 2A to 2C show cross-sectional views along cutting line A-A to theoptical detector in FIG. 1, with various embodiments of layer setups;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an optical detector having astack of imaging devices;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic setup of an optical detector embodied as alight-field camera;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic setup of a detector system, a tracking system,a human-machine interface and an entertainment device using the opticaldetector according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 shows an integration of at least one time-of-flight detector intothe detector according to the present invention.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, a top view of an embodiment of an optical detector 110according to the present invention is shown. The optical detector 110comprises, in this embodiment, one or more optical sensors 112 and atleast one readout device 114 connected to or connectable to the opticalsensor 112.

The optical sensor 112 comprises a substrate 116 and at least onephotosensitive layer setup 118 disposed thereon. The photosensitivelayer setup 118 comprises a first electrode 120 which, in thisembodiment, may be embodied as a bottom electrode 122. It shall benoted, however, that the first electrode 120 may as well be a topelectrode, as discussed above. The first electrode 120 comprises aplurality of first electrode stripes 124, which, accordingly, areembodied as bottom electrode stripes 126 and, which, alternatively, mayas well be embodied as top electrode stripes. Each of the firstelectrode stripes 124 comprises at least one contact pad 128 forelectrically contacting the respective first electrode stripe 124.

The photosensitive layer setup 118 further comprises at least one secondelectrode 130 which may be embodied as a top electrode 132. As outlinedabove, the second electrode 130, alternatively, may be embodied as abottom electrode and, thus, the setup shown in FIG. 1 may as well bereversed. The second electrode 130 comprises a plurality of secondelectrode stripes 134 which, accordingly, may be embodied as topelectrode stripes 136. As outlined above, a reverse setup, with thesecond electrode stripes 134 being bottom electrode stripes, isfeasible, as well.

The second electrode stripes 134, similar to the setup of the firstelectrode stripes 124, may electrically be contacted via contact pads138.

It shall be noted that, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1,four first electrode stripes 124 and five second electrode stripes 134are depicted. A different number of first electrode stripes 124 and/or adifferent number of second electrode stripes 134 is feasible, as well.

The photosensitive layer setup 118 further comprises at least onephotovoltaic material 140 sandwiched in between the first electrode 120and the second electrode 130. Preferably, the photovoltaic material 140is applied such that the contact pads 128 remain uncovered by thephotovoltaic material 140. Exemplary details of the photovoltaicmaterial 140 will be given with regard to FIGS. 2A to 2C below.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the first electrode stripes 124 and the secondelectrode stripes 134 intersect such that a matrix 142 of pixels 144 isformed. Each pixel 144 comprises a portion of a first electrode stripe124, a portion of a second electrode stripe 134 and a portion of thephotovoltaic material 140 sandwiched in between. In this exemplaryembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the matrix 142 is a rectangular matrix, withthe pixels 144 disposed in rows 146 (horizontal direction in FIG. 1) andcolumns 148 (vertical direction in FIG. 1). Thus, as an example, each ofthe pixels 144 may be identified by a row number and a column number.

Each of the first electrode stripes 124 and the bottom electrode stripes126, in this embodiment, is contacted via a respective first lead 150contacting the contact pads 128. Similarly, each of the second electrodestripes 134 and each of the top electrode stripes 136 is electricallycontacted by a respective second lead 152 electrically contacting thecontact pads 138. Further, the readout device 114 comprises a pluralityof measurement devices 154. Preferably, one measurement device 154 isprovided per column. It shall be noted that, as will be explained infurther detail below, the embodiment in FIG. 1 shows a row-switching.Alternatively, a column-switching is feasible. In the latter case,preferably, one measurement device 154 is provided per row. Further, itis generally possible to combine measurement devices 154, such as bymultiple columns 148 sharing a measurement device 154 and/or bycombining measurement devices 154 for a plurality of columns 148 into asingle integrated device, such as an ASIC.

The measurement devices 154 may be adapted to generate at least oneelectrical signal. Thus, preferably, the measurement devices 154 may beselected from the group consisting of current measurement devices, asindicated in FIG. 1, and/or voltage measurement devices. In theembodiment depicted in FIG. 1, current measurement devices are provided,adapted to measure electrical currents for the columns 148, indicated byI₁, . . . , I₅.

The measurement devices 154 each may comprise ports 156, 158, wherein afirst port 156 may be connected to a switching device 160, preferably anautomatic switching device 160, and wherein a second port 158 isconnected to the respective column 148 via the respective second lead152. As may be seen in FIG. 1, the first ports 156 of the measurementdevices 154 may be combined in a combined lead 162 connecting the firstports 156 to the switching device 160. The switching device 160, alsoreferred to as S in FIG. 1, is adapted to selectively connect thecombined lead 162 and/or the first ports 156 to the first leads 150.Thus, preferably, the switching device 160 subsequently connects thefirst leads 150 to the combined lead 162. Thus, a subsequent switchingfrom the top row 146 to the bottom row 146 may take place, followed byswitching back to the top row. Alternative switching schemes arepossible. Further, as outlined above, the optical sensor 112 and/or thereadout 114 may be adapted to sub-divide the matrix 142 intosub-matrices which are switched and/or selected separately.

In each position of the switching device 160, a specific row 146 isconnected to the combined lead 162 and, thus, is connected to all firstports 156 of the measurement devices 154. Thus, a specific row 146 isselected, and the measurement devices 154 are adapted to measure signalsfor the respective pixels 144 of the selected row. The signals may beprocessed, such as by using analogue-digital-converters 164 and may bestored in a data memory 166. As an example, the data memory 166 maycomprise a plurality of data fields 168 which may correspond to thepixels 144 of the matrix 142. Thus, for each measurement signal, acorresponding field of the data memory 166 may be selected, and themeasurement value, preferably a digital measurement value, may be storedin the respective data field 168. Thus, the data memory 166, when theswitching device 160 switches through the rows 146, subsequently isfilled in a row-by-row fashion with corresponding measurement values.Finally, the data memory 166, with the entity of data fields 168 andtheir corresponding measurement values, will represent an image 170 inan electronic format.

It shall be noted that, in this embodiment or other embodiments, theswitching by the switching device 160 preferably takes placeautomatically, by using a predetermined multiplexing scheme. Thesemultiplexing schemes as well as corresponding switching devices 160generally are known in the field of display technology. In displaytechnology, however, switching devices 160 are used for passive-matrixaddressing of display pixels, such as for providing appropriate voltagesand/or currents through these pixels. In the present invention, however,an inverse passive matrix scheme is used, by using the switching device160 for measurement purposes, in order to readout electrical signalsfrom the pixels 146.

In FIGS. 2A to 2C, cross-sectional views through the optical sensor 112along cutting line A-A in FIG. 1 are given. Therein, various possibleembodiments of layer setups of the optical sensor 112 are depicted. Itshall be noted, however, that other layer setups are possible. Thereadout device 114 and/or leads 150, 152 are not depicted in thesefigures.

As depicted in all embodiments shown in FIG. 2C and as discussed above,the optical sensor 112 comprises a substrate 116 with a photosensitivelayer setup 118 disposed thereon. Further, the photosensitive layersetup 118 may fully or partially be covered by one or moreencapsulations 172, such as at least one encapsulation element like aglass cover, a metal cover or a ceramic cover. Additionally oralternatively, one or more encapsulation layers may be coated on top ofthe photosensitive layer setup 118. The encapsulation 172 may betransparent or intransparent. Preferably, at least in the setup shown inFIG. 2B, the encapsulation 172 may fully or partially be transparent.The encapsulation 172 may be located such that the contact pads 128and/or the contact pads 138 (not shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C) remainuncovered by the encapsulation 172 and, thus, are accessible forelectrical contacting.

As can be seen in FIG. 1 discussed above, the first electrode 120, inall embodiments, comprises a plurality of first electrode stripes 124.As an example, fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) may be used. Thepatterning into stripes may be performed by standard lithographictechniques known from display technology, such as etching techniques.Thus, as an example, a large-area coating of the substrate 116 with FTOmay be provided, and the regions of the first electrode stripes 124 maybe covered with a photoresist. Subsequently, regions uncovered by thephotoresist may be etched by standard etching techniques, such as wetetching and/or dry etching, in order to remove the FTO from theseportions.

On top of the first electrode 120, the photovoltaic material 140 isdisposed. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 2C, which are given asexemplary embodiments only, without restricting the possibility of usingother types of photovoltaic materials 140 and/or other types of layersetups, the photovoltaic material 140 comprises a dense layer of ann-semiconducting metal oxide 174 disposed on top of the first electrode120. The dense layer 174 acts as a barrier layer and may e.g. have athickness of 10 nm to 500 nm. On top of the dense layer 174, one or morelayers 176 of a nano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide may bedisposed. On top of the layer 176 and/or within the layer 176, at leastone organic dye 178 may be applied, such as by doping and/or soaking thelayer 176, at least partially, with the organic dye 178. Additionally oralternatively, a separate layer of the organic dye 178 may be disposedon top of the layer 176.

On top of the layer 176 and/or on top of the organic dye 178, one ormore layers of a solid p-semiconducting organic material 180 aredisposed. Generally, for the layers 174, 176 and 180 as well as for theorganic dye 178, reference may be made to the exemplary embodimentsgiven above. Further, with regard to processing techniques and/ormaterials or combinations of materials, reference may be made to one ormore of WO 2012/110924 A1, U.S. 61/739,173 and U.S. 61/749,964. Despitethe fact that, within the present invention, the bottom electrode 122 isa stripe-shaped bottom electrode 122, the same materials and/orprocessing techniques may be used.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, after subsequently depositing thelayers of the photosensitive layer setup 118, the second electrodestripes 134 are deposited. For this purpose, metal stripes may bedeposited by known deposition techniques, such as thermal evaporationand/or electron beam evaporation and/or sputtering. In order to generatethe stripe-shaped pattern, as an example, a shadow mask may be used.Thus, regions of the surface of the setup outside the second electrodestripes 134 may be covered by the shadow mask, whereas regions in whichthe second electrode stripes 134 are to be deposited may be leftuncovered. As an example, a steel mask may be used, with slot-shapedopenings corresponding to the shape of the second electrode stripes 134.The setup, with this shadow mask on top, may be inserted into a vacuumbell, and, as an example, an aluminum layer may be deposited ton top,such as by using electron beam evaporation and/or thermal evaporationfrom a crucible. As an example, the at least one metal layer of thesecond electrode stripes 134 may have a thickness of 20 nm to 500 nm,preferably a thickness of 30 nm to 300 nm. Thus, in the embodiment shownin FIG. 2A, symbolically, an illumination is denoted by reference number182. In this embodiment, the illumination takes place through thesubstrate 116, which, preferably, may be a glass substrate and/or aplastic substrate with transparent properties. Additionally oralternatively, however, an illumination from the top, i.e. from theopposite direction, may take place. In order to provide sufficient lightwithin the photosensitive layer setup 118, in this case, theencapsulation 172 preferably is fully or partially transparent and,additionally, the second electrode stripes 134 may be provided astransparent second electrode stripes 134. In order to providetransparent second electrode stripes 134, several techniques may beused. Thus, as outlined above, thin metal layers may be used. Thus,specifically for aluminum, a sufficient transparency in the visiblespectral range may be provided in case a metal layer thickness of lessthan 40 nm, preferably less than 30 nm or even 20 nm or less isprovided. However, with decreasing metal layer thickness, aninsufficient electrical conductivity along the second electrode stripes134 may occur.

In order to circumvent this problem, the one or more metal layers of thesecond electrode 130 may be replaced and/or supported by fullytransparent electrically conductive materials. Thus, as an example, oneor more electrically conductive polymer layers may be used for thesecond electrode stripes 134, as shown in an alternative embodimentdepicted in FIG. 2B. In this embodiment, which may be used forgenerating a transparent optical sensor 112 which may be illuminatedfrom one or both sides and which may even be adapted to pass light,again, the second electrode stripes 134 comprise one or more metallayers 184, as in FIG. 2A. Additionally, however, in between the metallayers 184 of the second electrode stripes 134 and the p-semiconductingorganic material 180, one or more layers 186 of an electricallyconductive organic material are interposed. Preferably, the at least onelayer 186 of the electrically conductive polymer is patterned, in orderto provide electrically conductive polymer stripes 188 which are fullyor partially covered by metal stripes 190. The stripes 188 and 190, incombination, form the second electrode stripes 134 and/or the topelectrode stripes 136.

As discussed above, in this embodiment and/or in other embodiments, inorder to keep the metal stripes 190 transparent, a thickness of lessthan 40 nm, preferably less than 30 nm, is preferred for the metalstripes 190. The layer 186 of the electrically conductive polymerprovides additional electric conductivity, in order to sustainappropriate electrical currents.

As discussed above, the metal stripes 190 may be generated by variousmetal deposition techniques, such as physical vapor deposition,preferably sputtering and/or thermal evaporation and/or electron beamevaporation. Thus, as an example, one or more aluminum layers may bedeposited. In order to pattern the electrically conductive polymerstripes 188, the electrically conductive polymer may be applied in apatterned fashion. Thus, as an example, various printing techniques forthe electrically conductive polymer may be used. For exemplaryembodiments of printing techniques, reference may be made to printingtechniques known in the technology of organic light-emitting displaysand/or printing techniques known from organic electronics. Thus, as anexample, reference may be made to the screen-printing techniques asdisclosed in US 2004/0216625 A1. Additionally or alternatively, othertypes of printing techniques may be used, such as printing techniquesselected from the group consisting of screen-printing, inkjet printing,flexo printing or other techniques.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B are embodiments of a patterneddeposition of the top electrode 132, such as the second electrode 130.Thus, deposition techniques are used in which the top electrode 132 isdeposited in a patterned fashion. As outlined above, additionally oralternatively, other techniques are feasible. Thus, generally, alarge-area deposition is possible, followed by a patterning step, suchas a laser ablation and/or an etching technique. Additionally oralternatively, as discussed above, self-patterning techniques may beused. Thus, the optical sensor 112 itself may comprise one or moreseparation elements 192, as depicted in an exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 2C. These separation elements 192, as an example, may belongitudinal bars applied to the substrate 116 and/or to one or morelayers of the photosensitive layer setup 118. In the cross-sectionalview, the separation elements, also referred to as separators, runperpendicular to the plane of view, parallel to the second electrodestripes 134. The separators 192, on or close to their upper ends, mayprovide sharp edges 194, such as by providing a trapezoidal shape. Whenevaporating the one or more metal layers 184 of the top electrode 132,with or without a shadow mask limiting the area of evaporation, themetal layer 184 breaks at the sharp edges 194 and, thus, separated metalstripes in between neighboring separators 192 occur, forming the topelectrode stripes 136.

This self-patterning technique generally is known from displaytechnology. Thus, as an example, the separators 192 may fully orpartially be made of photoresist structures. For patterning thesephotoresist structures, reference may be made to one or more of US2003/0017360 A1, US 2005/0052120 A1, US 2003/0094607 A1 or otherpatterning techniques.

The self-patterning may be applied to the top electrode 132 only.However, as depicted in the embodiment in FIG. 2C, additionally, theself-patterning by the one or more separators 192 may as well be usedfor patterning one or more additional layers and/or elements of theoptical sensor. Thus, as an example, one or more organic layers may bepatterned that way. As an example, the organic dye 178 and/or thep-semiconducting organic material 180 may be patterned fully orpartially by the at least one separator 192. Thus, generally, the atleast one separator 192 may be applied before applying the one or moreorganic components of the photosensitive layer setup 118. As an example,the one or more separators 192 may be applied after preparing the atleast one layer 176 of nano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide. Sincetypical photoresist patterning techniques require aggressive etchingsteps and/or aggressive heating steps, such as heating to temperaturesabove 100° C., these steps might be detrimental for organic materials.Thus, the separators 192 might be created before applying the organicmaterials, such as before applying the at least one organic dye 178and/or before applying the at least one p-semiconducting organicmaterial 180. As known from display technology, an application oforganic materials and a patterning of the organic materials is feasiblein a homogeneous way, even though the one or more separators 192 arepresent on the substrate 116. Thus, the one or more organic dyes 178and/or the one or more p-semiconducting organic materials 180 may beapplied by known deposition techniques, such as vacuum evaporation (CVDand/or PVD), wet processing (such as spin coating and/or printing) orother deposition techniques. With regard to patterning of the separators192, potential geometries of the separators 192, potential materials ofthe separators 192 and other details of these separators 192, referencemay be made to the documents disclosed above.

It shall be noted that, in addition to the at least one metal layer 184,again, one or more layers of an electrically conductive polymer may bedeposited, such as one or more layers of PEDOT:PSS, as e.g. used in theembodiment of FIG. 2B. Thus, as in FIG. 2B, a transparent top electrode132 may be manufactured even when using the one or more separators 192.

The optical detector 110, besides the at least one optical sensor 112,may comprise one or more additional elements. Thus, in FIG. 3, anexemplary embodiment of the optical detector 110 is shown in across-sectional view. The optical detector 110, as an example, may beembodied as a camera 214 for photographic purposes. In this embodiment,the optical detector 110 comprises a stack 196 of at least two,preferably at least three, imaging devices 198. The imaging devices 198are stacked along an optical axis 200 of the optical detector 110. Atleast one of the imaging devices 198 is an optical sensor 112 as definedin claim 1 and/or as disclosed in one or more of the embodimentsdiscussed above, such as one or more of the embodiments shown in FIG. 1or 2A to 2C. As an example, the stack 196 may comprise three opticalsensors 112, such as in positions numbered 1, 2 and 3 in FIG. 3.Additionally, the stack 196 may comprise one or more additional imagingdevices 202, such as in position number 4 in FIG. 3, which is the lastposition of the stack 196, facing away from an entry opening 204 of theoptical detector 110. The at least one additional imaging device 202,which may be embodied in an alternative way as compared to the at leastone optical sensor 112 as defined in claim 1, as an example, may be anorganic or an inorganic or a hybrid imaging device. As an example, theadditional imaging device 202 may be or may comprise an inorganicsemiconductor imaging device, such as a CCD chip and/or a CMOS chip.Thus, as an example, the stack 196 may be a combination of organic andinorganic imaging devices 198. Alternatively, the stack 196 may compriseoptical sensors 112 as defined in claim 1, only.

In case a stack 196 is provided, preferably, at least one of the imagingdevices 198 is transparent. Thus, as an example, all imaging devices 198except for the last imaging device 198 facing away from the entryopening 204 may be embodied as fully or partially transparent imagingdevices 198. As discussed above, this transparency is easily feasible byusing transparent first and second electrodes 120, 130. As for the lastimaging device 198, no transparency is required. Thus, as discussedabove, this last imaging device 198 (such as imaging device 198 number 4in FIG. 3) may be an inorganic semiconductor imaging device 198, whichnot necessarily has to provide transparent properties. Thus, typicalhigh-resolution imaging devices may be used, as known e.g. in cameratechnologies.

Further, specifically in case a stack 196 of imaging devices 198 isprovided, the imaging devices 198 of the stack 196 or at least two ofthe imaging devices 198 may provide different spectral sensitivities.Thus, as an example, the optical sensors 112 may provide different typesof organic dyes 178, having different absorption properties. Thus, as anexample, the organic dye 178 of imaging device number 1 may absorb inthe blue spectral range, imaging device number 2 may absorb in the greenspectral range, and imaging device number 3 may absorb in the redspectral range. Alternatively, any arbitrary permutations of theseabsorption properties may be possible. The last imaging device 198 mayhave a broad-band spectral sensitivity, in order to generate anintegrating signal over the whole spectral range. Thus, by comparingimages from the different imaging devices 198, color information on alight beam 206 entering the optical detector 110 may be provided. As anexample, signals of one imaging device 198, such as integrated signals,may be divided by sum signals of all imaging devices 198 and/or by oneor more signals of the additional imaging device 202, in order toprovide color information.

The optical detector 110 may be adapted to take an image of the lightbeam 206 at different positions along the optical axis 202, such as atdifferent focal planes. By comparing these images, various types ofinformation may be derived from the images generated by the imagingdevices 198, such as position information on an object emitting the atleast one light beam 206. In order to evaluate this information, theoptical detector 110 may, besides the one or more readout devices 114,comprise one or more controllers 208 in order to evaluate images createdby the imaging devices 198. The one or more controllers 208 may form anevaluation device 216 and/or may be part of an evaluation device 216which, besides, may also comprise the one or more readout devices 114.The above-mentioned at least one data memory 166 may be part of thecontroller 208 and/or the evaluation device 216.

As discussed above, the optical detector 110 may further comprise one ormore optical elements 210, such as one or more optical elements 210adapted for changing beam-propagation properties of the light beam 206.As an example, the optical element 210 may comprise one or more focusingand/or defocusing lenses. The optical detector 110 may further comprisea housing 212 in which the imaging devices 198 are located, such as alight-tight housing.

As outlined above, the optical detector 110 may be adapted to take animage of the light beam 206 at different positions along the opticalaxis 202, such as at different focal planes. By comparing these images,various types of information may be derived from the images generated,such as position information on an object emitting the at least onelight beam 206. This possibility is symbolically shown in FIG. 4 which,basically, repeats the setup of FIG. 3. Therein, one or more objects218, denoted by A, B and C, and/or one or more beacon devices 220attached to, integrated into or held by the object's 218 emit and/orreflect light beams 206 towards the optical detector 110.

The optical detector 110, in this embodiment or other embodiments, maybe set up to be used as a light-field camera. Basically, the setup shownin FIG. 4 may correspond to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 or any otherembodiment of the present invention. The optical detector 110, asoutlined above, comprises the stack 196 of optical sensors 112, alsoreferred to as pixelated sensors, which specifically may be transparent.As an example, pixelated organic optical sensors may be used, such asorganic solar cells, specifically sDSCs. In addition, the detector 110and, specifically, the stack 196, may comprise at least one additionalimaging device 202, such as an intransparent imaging device 202, such asa CCD and/or a CMOS imaging device. The optical detector 110 may furthercomprise at least one optical element 210, such as at least one lens orlens system, adapted for imaging the objects 218.

As outlined above, the detector 110 in the embodiment shown herein issuited to act as a light-field camera. Thus, light-beams 206 propagatingfrom the one or more objects 218 or beacon devices may be focused by theoptical element 210 into corresponding images, denoted by A′, B′ and C′in FIG. 4. By using the stack 196 of optical sensors 112, athree-dimensional image may be captured. Thus, specifically in case theoptical sensors 112 are FiP-sensors, i.e. sensors for which the sensorsignals are dependent on the photon density, the focal points for eachof the light beams 206 may be determined by evaluating sensor signals ofneighboring optical sensors 112. Thus, by evaluating the sensor signalsof the stack 196, beam parameters of the various light beams 206 may bedetermined, such as a focal position, spreading parameters or otherparameters. Thus, as an example, each light beam 206 and/or one or morelight beams 206 of interest may be determined in terms of their beamparameters and may be represented by a parameter representation and/orvector representation. Thus, since the optical qualities and propertiesof the optical element 210 are generally known, as soon as the beamparameters of the light beams 206 are determined by using the stack 196,a scene captured by the optical detector 110, containing one or moreobjects 218, may be represented by a simplified set of beam parameters.For further details of the light-field camera shown in FIG. 4, referencemay be made to the description of the various possibilities given above.

Further, as outlined above, the optical sensors 112 of the stack 196 ofoptical sensors may have identical or different wavelengthsensitivities. Thus, the stack 196 may comprise two types of opticalsensors 112, such as in an alternating fashion. Therein, a first typeand a second type of optical sensors 112 may be provided in the stack196. The optical sensors 112 of the first type and the second typespecifically may be arranged in an alternating fashion along the opticalaxis 200. The optical sensors 112 of the first type may have a firstspectral sensitivity, such as a first absorption spectrum, such as afirst absorption spectrum defined by a first dye, and the opticalsensors 112 of the second type may have a second spectral sensitivitydifferent from the first spectral sensitivity, such as a secondabsorption spectrum, such as a second absorption spectrum defined by asecond dye. By evaluating sensor signals of these two or more types ofoptical sensors 112, color information may be obtained. Thus, inaddition to the beam parameters which may be derived, the two or moretypes of optical sensors 112 may allow for deriving additional colorinformation, such as for deriving a full-color three-dimensional image.Thus, as an example, color information may be derived by comparing thesensor signals of the optical sensors 112 of different color with valuesstored in a look-up table. Thus, the setup of FIG. 4 may be embodied asa monochrome, a full-color or multicolor light-field camera 214. Asoutlined above and as will be shown in further detail with reference toFIG. 5, the optical detector 110 according to the present invention, inone or more of the embodiments disclosed above, specifically may be partof one or more of: a camera 214, a detector system 222, a trackingsystem 224, a human-machine interface 226 or an entertainment device228.

FIG. 5 shows, in a highly schematic illustration, an exemplaryembodiment of the detector 110, having a plurality of the opticalsensors 112. The detector 110 specifically may be embodied as a camera214 or may be part of a camera 214. The camera 214 may be made forimaging, specifically for 3D imaging, and may be made for acquiringstandstill images and/or image sequences such as digital video clips.Other embodiments are feasible. FIG. 5 further shows an embodiment of adetector system 222, which, besides the at least one detector 110,comprises one or more of the beacon devices 220, which, in thisexemplary embodiment, are attached and/or integrated into an object 218,the position of which shall be detected by using the detector 110. FIG.5 further shows an exemplary embodiment of a human-machine interface226, which comprises the at least one detector system 222, and, further,an entertainment device 228, which comprises the human-machine interface226. The figure further shows an embodiment of a tracking system 224 fortracking a position of the object 218, which comprises the detectorsystem 222 and the controller 208 which, in this embodiment or otherembodiments, may act as a track controller. The components of thedevices and systems shall be explained in further detail in thefollowing.

The detector 110, besides the one or more optical sensors 112, comprisesthe at least one readout device 114 which may be part of at least oneevaluation device 216, as explained in detail above. The evaluationdevice 216 may be connected to the optical sensors 112 by one or moreconnectors 230 and/or one or more interfaces. Instead of using the atleast one optional connector 230, the evaluation device 216 may fully orpartially be integrated into the optical sensors 112 and/or into ahousing 232 of the detector 110. Additionally or alternatively, theevaluation device 216 may fully or partially be designed as a separatedevice.

In this exemplary embodiment, the object 218, the position of which maybe detected, may be designed as an article of sports equipment and/ormay form a control element 234, the position of which may be manipulatedby a user 236. As an example, the object 218 may be or may comprise abat, a record, a club or any other article of sports equipment and/orfake sports equipment. Other types of objects 218 are possible. Further,the user 236 himself or herself may be considered as the object 218, theposition of which shall be detected.

As outlined above, the detector 110 comprises the plurality of opticalsensors 112. The optical sensors 112 may be located inside the housing232 of the detector 110. Further, at least one optical element 210 maybe comprised, such as one or more optical systems, preferably comprisingone or more lenses. An opening 238 inside the housing 232, which,preferably, is located concentrically with regard to an optical axis 200of the detector 110, preferably defines a direction of view 240 of thedetector 110. A coordinate system 242 may be defined, in which adirection parallel or antiparallel to the optical axis 200 is defined asa longitudinal direction, whereas directions perpendicular to theoptical axis 200 may be defined as transversal directions. In thecoordinate system 242, symbolically depicted in FIG. 5, a longitudinaldirection is denoted by z, and transversal directions are denoted by xand y, respectively. Other types of coordinate systems 242 are feasible.

The detector 110 may comprise one or more of the optical sensors 112.Preferably, as depicted in FIG. 5, a plurality of optical sensors 112 iscomprised, which, more preferably, are stacked along the optical axis200, in order to form a sensor stack 196. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 5, five optical sensors 112 are depicted. It shall be noted,however, that embodiments having a different number of optical sensors112 are feasible.

As outlined above, the detector 110 may further comprise one or moretime-of-flight detectors. This possibility is shown in FIG. 6. Thedetector 110, firstly, comprises at least one component comprising theone or more pixelated optical sensors 112, such as a sensor stack 196.In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the at least one unit comprising theoptical sensors 112 is denoted as a camera 214. It shall be noted,however, that other embodiments are feasible. For details of potentialsetups of the camera 214, reference may be made to the setups shownabove, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 or 5, or other embodimentsof the detector 110. Basically any setup of the detector 110 asdisclosed above may also be used in the context of the embodiment shownin FIG. 6.

Further, the detector 110 comprises at least one time-of-flight (ToF)detector 244. As shown in FIG. 6, the ToF detector 244 may be connectedto the readout device 114 and/or the evaluation device 216 of thedetector 110 or may be provided with a separate evaluation device. Asoutlined above, the ToF detector 244 may be adapted, by emitting andreceiving pulses 246, as symbolically depicted in FIG. 6, to determine adistance between the detector 110 and the object 218 or, in other words,a z-coordinate along the optical axis 200.

The at least one optional ToF detector 244 may be combined with the atleast one detector having the pixelated optical sensors 112 such as thecamera 214 in various ways. Thus, as an example and as shown in FIG. 6,the at least one camera 214 may be located in a first partial beam path248, and the ToF detector 244 may be located in a second partial beampath 250. The partial beam paths 248, 250 may be separated and/orcombined by at least one beam-splitting element 252. As an example, thebeam-splitting element 252 may be a wavelength-indifferentbeam-splitting element 252, such as a semi-transparent mirror.Additionally or alternatively, a wavelength-dependency may be provided,thereby allowing for separating different wavelengths. As analternative, or in addition to the setup shown in FIG. 6, other setupsof the ToF detector 244 may be used. Thus, the camera 214 and the ToFdetector 244 may be arranged in line, such as by arranging the ToFdetector 244 behind the camera 214. In this case, preferably, nointransparent optical sensor is provided in the camera 214, and alloptical sensors 112 are at least partially transparent. Again, as analternative or in addition, the ToF detector 244 may also be arrangedindependently from the camera 214, and different light paths may beused, without combining the light paths. Various setups are feasible.

As outlined above, the ToF detector 244 and the camera 214 may becombined in a beneficial way, for various purposes, such as forresolving ambiguities, for increasing the range of weather conditions inwhich the optical detector 110 may be used, or for extending a distancerange between the object 218 and the optical detector 110. For furtherdetails, reference may be made to the description above.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   110 optical detector-   112 optical sensor-   114 readout device-   116 substrate-   118 photosensitive layer setup-   120 first electrode-   122 bottom electrode-   124 first electrode stripes-   126 bottom electrode stripes-   128 contact pad-   130 second electrode-   132 top electrode-   134 second electrode stripe-   136 top electrode stripe-   138 contact pad-   140 photovoltaic material-   142 matrix-   144 pixel-   146 row-   148 column-   150 first leads-   152 second leads-   154 electrical measurement devices-   156 first port-   158 second port-   160 switching device-   162 combined lead-   164 analogue-digital-converter-   166 data memory-   168 data fields-   170 image-   172 encapsulation-   174 dense layer of n-semiconducting metal oxide-   176 layer of nano-porous n-semiconducting metal oxide-   178 organic dye-   180 p-semiconducting organic material-   182 illumination-   184 metal layer-   186 layer of electrically conductive polymer-   188 electrically conductive polymer stripes-   190 metal electrode stripes-   192 separation element, separator-   194 sharp edge-   196 stack-   198 imaging device-   200 optical axis-   202 additional imaging device-   204 entry opening-   206 light beam-   208 controller-   210 optical element-   212 housing-   214 camera-   216 evaluation device-   218 object-   220 beacon device-   222 detector system-   224 tracking system-   226 human-machine interface-   228 entertainment device-   230 connector-   232 housing-   234 control element-   236 user-   238 opening-   240 direction of view-   242 coordinate system-   244 time-of-flight detector-   246 pulses-   248 first partial beam path-   250 second partial beam path-   252 beam-splitting element

1. An optical detector, comprising: an optical sensor, comprising asubstrate and at least one photosensitive layer setup disposed thereon,the photosensitive layer setup comprising at least one first electrode,at least one second electrode and at least one photovoltaic materialsandwiched in between the first electrode and the second electrode,wherein the photovoltaic material comprises at least one organicmaterial, wherein the first electrode comprises a plurality of firstelectrode stripes and wherein the second electrode comprises a pluralityof second electrode stripes, wherein the first electrode stripes and thesecond electrode stripes intersect such that a matrix of pixels isformed at intersections of the first electrode stripes and the secondelectrode stripes; and at least one readout device, the readout devicecomprising a plurality of electrical measurement devices connected tothe second electrode stripes and a switching device for subsequentlyconnecting the first electrode stripes to the electrical measurementdevices.
 2. The optical detector according to claim 1, wherein thematrix of pixels comprises rows defined by the first electrode stripesand columns defined by the second electrode stripes, wherein eachelectrical measurement device is connected to a column, such thatelectrical signals for the pixels of each row are measuredsimultaneously, wherein the switching device is configured tosubsequently connect the rows to the electrical measurement devices. 3.The optical detector according to claim 1, wherein the electricalmeasurement devices are analogue measurement devices, wherein theelectrical measurement devices further comprise analogue-digitalconverters.
 4. The optical detector according to claim 1, wherein thereadout device further comprises at least one data memory for storingmeasurement values for the pixels of the matrix of pixels.
 5. Theoptical detector according to claim 1, wherein one of the firstelectrode and the second electrode is a bottom electrode and wherein theother of the first electrode and the second electrode is a topelectrode, wherein the bottom electrode is applied to the substrate,wherein the photovoltaic material is applied to the bottom electrode andat least partially covers the bottom electrode and wherein the topelectrode is applied to the photovoltaic material.
 6. The opticaldetector according to claim 5, wherein the top electrode comprises aplurality of metal electrode stripes, wherein the metal electrodestripes are separated by electrically insulating separators.
 7. Theoptical detector according to claim 6, wherein the optical sensorcomprises an n-semiconducting metal oxide, wherein the electricallyinsulating separators are deposited on top of the n-semiconducting metaloxide.
 8. The optical detector according to claim 7, wherein the opticalsensor further comprises at least one solid p-semiconducting organicmaterial deposited on top of the n-semiconducting metal oxide, the solidp-semiconducting organic material being sub-divided into a plurality ofstripe-shaped regions by the electrically insulating separators.
 9. Theoptical detector according to claim 5, wherein the top electrode istransparent.
 10. The optical detector according to claim 9, wherein thetop electrode comprises at least one metal layer.
 11. The opticaldetector according to claim 10, wherein the top electrode furthercomprises at least one electrically conductive polymer embedded inbetween the photovoltaic material and the metal layer.
 12. The opticaldetector according to claim 1, comprising a stack of at least twoimaging devices, wherein at least one of the imaging devices is theoptical sensor.
 13. The optical detector according to claim 12, whereinthe stack further comprises at least one additional imaging device. 14.The optical detector according to claim 12, wherein the stack comprisesat least two imaging devices having different spectral sensitivities.15. A detector system for determining a position of at least one object,the detector system comprising at least one optical detector accordingto claim 1, and at least one beacon device configured to direct at leastone light beam towards the optical detector, wherein the beacon deviceis at least one of a device attachable to the object, a device holdableby the object and a device integratable into the object.
 16. Ahuman-machine interface for exchanging at least one item of informationbetween a user and a machine, the human-machine interface comprising atleast one detector system according to claim 15, wherein the at leastone beacon device is configured to be at least one of directly orindirectly attached to the user and held by the user, wherein thehuman-machine interface is designed to determine at least one positionof the user via the detector system, wherein the human-machine interfaceis designed to assign to the position at least one item of information.17. An entertainment device for carrying out at least one entertainmentfunction, the entertainment device comprising at least one human-machineinterface according to claim 16, wherein the entertainment device isdesigned to enable at least one item of information to be input by aplayer via the human-machine interface, wherein the entertainment deviceis designed to vary the entertainment function in accordance with theinformation.
 18. A tracking system for tracking a position of at leastone movable object, the tracking system comprising at least one detectorsystem according to claim 15, and at least one track controller, whereinthe track controller is configured to track a series of positions of theobject at specific points in time.
 19. A camera for imaging at least oneobject, the camera comprising at least one optical detector according toclaim
 1. 20. A method for manufacturing an optical detector, the methodcomprising: a) manufacturing an optical sensor, wherein a photosensitivelayer setup is deposited onto a substrate, the photosensitive layersetup comprising at least one first electrode, at least one secondelectrode and at least one photovoltaic material sandwiched in betweenthe first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the photovoltaicmaterial comprises at least one organic material, wherein the firstelectrode comprises a plurality of first electrode stripes and whereinthe second electrode comprises a plurality of second electrode stripes,wherein the first electrode stripes and the second electrode stripesintersect such that a matrix of pixels is formed at intersections of thefirst electrode stripes and the second electrode stripes; and b)connecting at least one readout device to the optical sensor, thereadout device comprising a plurality of electrical measurement devicesconnected to the second electrode stripes, and at least one switchingdevice for subsequently connecting the first electrode stripes to theelectrical measurement devices.
 21. The method according to claim 20,wherein the manufacturing a) comprises: a1) depositing at least onebottom electrode onto the substrate, wherein the bottom electrode is oneof the first electrode or second electrode, wherein the bottom electrodecomprises a plurality of bottom electrode stripes; a2) depositing the atleast one photovoltaic material onto the bottom electrode; and a3)depositing at least one top electrode onto the photovoltaic material,wherein the top electrode is the other one of the first electrode andthe second electrode, wherein the top electrode comprises a plurality oftop electrode stripes, wherein the top electrode stripes are depositedsuch that the bottom electrode stripes and the top electrode stripesintersect such that the matrix of pixels is formed.
 22. The methodaccording to claim 21, wherein the depositing a3) comprises one or moreof the following: depositing the top electrode onto the photovoltaicmaterial in a patterned way; depositing the top electrode onto thephotovoltaic material in an unpatterned way, followed by at least onepatterning step; and providing at least one separator on one or more ofthe substrate or the photovoltaic material, followed by an unpatterneddeposition of the top electrode, wherein the top electrode issub-divided into the top electrode stripes by the separator.
 23. Amethod of taking at least one image of an object via the opticaldetector according to claim 1, the method comprising: imaging the objectonto the optical sensor, subsequently connecting the first electrodestripes to the electrical measurement devices, wherein the electricalmeasurement devices, for each first electrode stripe, measure electricalsignals for the pixels of the respective first electrode stripe, andcomposing the electrical signals of the pixels to form an image.
 24. Theoptical detector according to claim 1, suitable for a positionmeasurement in traffic technology; an entertainment application; asecurity application; a safety application; a human-machine interfaceapplication; a tracking application; a photography application; or anapplication in combination with at least one time-of-flight detector.25. The optical detector according to claim 7, wherein then-semiconducting metal oxide is a nano-porous n-semiconducting metaloxide.
 26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the depositing a3)comprises depositing the top electrode onto the photovoltaic material ina patterned way by using a deposition through a shadow mask.
 27. Themethod according to claim 22, wherein the depositing a3) comprisesdepositing the top electrode onto the photovoltaic material in apatterned way by using a printing technique.